The Redeemer
by thebigmacattack
Summary: Twelve years ago, she committed a grave error in her grief and rage, killing those she had wanted to protect. Even after returning from a period in exile, she is an outcast loathed by the community she betrayed. But now, her redemption may come, thanks to her son who was the only life she saved on that day twelve years ago . . .
1. Prologue

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, nor do I aspire to. I just want to tell this story and that'll probably be it for me with Naruto fics. I'll have had my entry in the sea of Naruto fics and I'll be happy.

PAIRINGS: Not really the focus but they will show up slowly but surely.

EDIT 12/23/2012: Because there's a lot of questions and complaints about this (mostly in PMs to me):

1. I am drawing primarily on the English anime dub for most terminology and honorifics. It's easier for me to write in the style of the English dub over a more literal translation. I _am_ keeping the honorific "sensei" because it is ubiquitous to Naruto in every format, and I am also keeping the literal term "missing-nin" instead of dub term "rogue ninja", mostly because it sounds better to me.

2. This is NOT Naruto's story. Think of this story as if Naruto was instead called "Kushina". Naruto plays an important role in this story, but he is not the main protagonist. Kushina is.

EDIT 2/27/13: Well . . . I can safely say that chapter 619 and everything beyond that point have no bearing on this fic. At some point you can't just take everything in about the canon, not if you want to keep writing in it. So . . . yeah. Chapters 1-618, canon in terms of how everything works. Chapter 619-beyond, not.

* * *

******Chapter One: Prologue**

I wake up smelling blood.

I'm in so much pain. Everything's a blur. Did I just wake up or something? What happened?

My son.

It has to do with my son. And my husband.

Why am I smelling blood?

Come on. Come on. Get up. What's going on? Why's this weight on me? Where is everybody? Why do I hear the soft cracking of flames in the distance?

This shouldn't be happening. Something's gone wrong.

Horribly wrong.

_Get up__!_

I struggle to my feet, shoving the huge lump on me off of my stomach, and the pain in my waist, around my womb, is so staggering that I want to bend over immediately and fall to my knees. It hurts. It hurts so _much_. The blurs in my vision become even more distorted, a darkened canvas of shapeless color, with red and brown and orange and black.

And the scent of blood.

Something in me _hungers_ for it.

Why?

No, I know why. Stop being stupid.

It's the Nine-Tailed Fox. It's _always_ craved blood. Just not in the last few years. I've kept it all at bay. Because of . . . because of . . .

_Minato_!

Where is he?

My voice is weak, husky. "Minato? Minato! Where are you? What's going-aah!"

I trip and fall over a fleshy lump, onto my pained waist. The pain is so much I want to black out. Maybe that's what happened to me to begin with. I blacked out, and now I just woke up.

Minato. Please don't tell me that's Minato I just tripped over.

I turn around, clutching my waist which feels like it's going to split open any second. It's just a man. A man whose face I don't know, remnants of a broken white mask on his face, his eyes lifeless and staring above at the night sky.

He's one of the ANBU Black Ops.

What's he doing here?

No, no, _remember_! He was here to guard me! He was one of many! He was here to guard me because . . .

_Naruto_!

My son! My baby!

Where is he? Why don't I hear him crying?

"Naruto! Naruto!"

Where is he? Why isn't he crying? He should be crying somewhere.

Don't tell me he's dead. Oh no. Don't tell me whoever did this killed my son.

No. No. No.

"Kushina . . ."

Minato's voice. Weak, soft. From my right. I turn around, and there he is, his handsome, kind face, blood tricking from his mouth and nose, his right hand in the air, trying to wave to me.

"Minato!"

I stagger over to him. I nearly trip over another ANBU body but I barely keep myself upright. I have to stay upright. Minato's hurt. He's _really_ hurt. I can tell even in this darkness, even though my vision still hasn't completely come back. He's hurt so horrifically . . .

No. No. I won't consider it.

He's the Fourth Hokage.

He _can't_. Not on me. Not on the Leaf.

Not on our newborn son.

Naruto. Naruto, where is he?

"Minato! Minato, what happened?"

"Kushina . . ." His arm flops to the ground as he sees me. It doesn't take more than a quick glance to see that the arm he had raised was broken at both the elbow and the shoulder. The pain just to raise that arm had to have been _excruciating_. And his other arm . . . his other arm . . .

It's gone.

His right arm is _gone_. Severed at the elbow tendon.

"Minato! What happened? Minato!" I can't come up with anything to say. Minato, he's _dying_! He's just laying here, beaten and ripped apart!

I can already piece together what's happened, but I can't believe it. I just can't! The whole reason why we picked a remote location was so _this wouldn't happen_!

"They . . . their plan was to get the Nine Tails," Minato manages. His youthful, brave voice is distorted, nasal, from all of the blood. He sounds like he may have a collapsed lung. But I won't believe it. I can't.

"The Nine Tails?" I lift up my tunic, and the seal is still there. It looks different, sloppy, but it's there. Not that there was much doubt in my mind. I can _feel_ the Nine-Tails' desire for blood. It's still in here with me.

"Yes, but . . . they didn't get it. I stopped them, and restored the seal myself . . . the best I could anyway," he says, trying to grin despite all of his pain.

"I'll go get some help, Minato. Just hang on. I'll get help! There's got to be somebody else still alive!"

"No . . . they got Naruto," Minato replies.

"They _what_?" No. No. That's even worse. They didn't just injure my husband, they took my _son_? Why?

"They got Naruto instead. They're using him . . . as a hostage . . . They . . . went west . . . Please save him." Minato replies.

He's fading. He's fading right in front of me. His eyes are starting to close, and his body's going limp.

No. No, no, no. No!

I reach my arms underneath his head and shoulders and try to support him. He has to hold on! He has to! "Minato, don't do this to me! Don't die! Don't die!"

"Kushina . . . please remember . . . that . . . love . . ."

He's out of breath. He's not breathing anymore.

"Minato! Please! I love you! Don't die!"

There's a soft cough coming from his mouth, and then his eyes partially close, his head leaning to the left, completely limp.

"Minato! Minato!"

I bring his head to my chest and I can't stop them. I can't stop the tears. My husband. My _husband_ is dead.

Why? Why?

Because of the Nine-Tails? He had to die because of the demon inside me?

And my son . . .

My son!

"I'll save Naruto. I will, Minato. I'll save him. I'll save him."

I can feel it. The anger. The rage.

All of it. It's rising in me.

And I don't care anymore.

I look up at the starry night, that empty, useless, starry night with the trees obscuring so much of the poignant beauty . . .

And scream.

And scream.

And _scream._

* * *

_I can smell them._

_They smell hideous._

_I can smell their sweat and their grime and their blood. Undoubtedly they were wounded by Minato and the ANBU. They put up a fight._

_Naruto. Naruto. He better still be alive. How dare they touch him. How dare they take him away from me!_

_My baby. My beautiful baby, whose eyes I haven't gotten to see yet, whose cries I haven't been able to hear yet._

_How dare they do this__!_

I'll kill them! I'll kill them all!

_They had no right to do this!_

I'll rip them apart!

_I'm growling. I know I am. I know the demon is raging inside me and desperately wants control. It's taking every single bit of the willpower I have to not let it take any further control._

_I have to . . . I have to keep my sanity._

_I have to._

_I'll kill Naruto too if I lose control._

_Where are they? Where are they?_

_The smell is getting stronger. The trail is getting fresher._

_Oh, those stupid men._

_Those stupid, stupid men._

_They never thought to cover their tracks._

_They're panicking. That's why they didn't bother to find me._

_That weight on me had been a dead body. Minato or one of the dying ANBU must have done it so they'd either think I'm dead or just couldn't find me in the darkness._

_They._

_That's all they are. "They"._

_They're not human._

_No human would ever do this to a mother and her husband over their baby!_

_There they are. I see them._

_Six of them. And one of them is clearly holding my son._

_Bastards._

_I can feel it. My hand is turning more and more like a claw. My skin is starting to peel off. Blood is coming out of me. And it hurts. It all hurts. Like I'm boiling over and shapeshifting into an animal at the same time._

_And all I crave is violence._

_And I don't care._

_It's what the demon has always wanted._

_Justification for death._

_And I'm willing to grant it that right._

_I can hear their little insignificant voices. They see me. One of them pulls out a kunai and points it at Naruto's head. I still can't see Naruto's head, they're obscuring it from me, but I know it's him._

_And I know that screaming sound is him crying._

_Naruto is crying._

_How dare they do this to him._

_How dare they threaten him._

_Threatening my poor baby._

_Die._

_All of them must die._

Die_!_

_I attack the bastard holding Naruto first, leaping from the tree and I put my hand right through the bastard's ugly, stupid, evil skull and plaster its remnant all over the next tree._

_That felt _so_ good._

_And my baby. He's still crying. He's still crying for me._

_And them. They're all yelling. Yelling at me, yelling at each other, yelling at Naruto . . ._

_It doesn't matter._

_They all have to die._

They all have to die_!_

_I can't even comprehend what I'm doing anymore. All I want is to kill._

_And I know I'm killing. I'm so much faster than they are. They're helpless and weaponless. They can't hope to stop me as I tear through them. They can't._

_They won't._

_My hatred, my anger, my sorrow, everything is swirling inside me and the Nine Tails is feeding on it and taking more control and doubling me over with more and more pain and more and more bloodlust and I can barely tell what the _hell _I'm doing anymore and-_

_And._

_And._

_The blood._

_Their blood is all over me, boiling away._

_Where's Naruto? I can't hear him anymore._

_Where'd he go? He's just a baby. He can't go anywhere._

_Did they escape?_

_Where am I?_

_Stupid forest! Why is it even here?_

_Where are they?_

_Is this? Is this their village? Have I chased them so far?_

_Oh, they will pay._

_My baby._

_My baby._

_Pain. Pain. More pain._

_My bones are cracking._

_The trees look smaller._

_Have I gotten bigger?_

_Or has everything gotten smaller?_

_I can't tell._

_Do I even look remotely human anymore?_

_No. Why should I even care about that at this point?_

_Why? They clearly still have my baby!_

_More anger._

_More desire for their blood in my mouth and all over my bestial body._

_They will all _die_!_

_I tear the forest apart tree by tree and charge right to the village. The outer wall looks familiar to me, in this faint way, but I can't tell. I've been to many places in my life._

_And it doesn't matter. They took Naruto here!_

_I'll break all of their buildings, slaughter all of their families, tear the very foundation down until they give me my baby!_

_Die, all of you!_

_You insignificant little_ prey_!_

_The destruction, starting with the wall that I ram right through like it's nothing. I know I'm destroying. I know I'm causing panic. And that doesn't mean a thing to me. All I feel is rage._

_So much rage._

_Where's my baby? Where is he?_

_How much do I have to destroy, how many people do I have to kill, until someone gives him to me?_

_Naruto! Naruto!_

_They're screaming. They're all screaming at me. They're so insignificant. So helpless. So pitiful._

_And_

_I don't care. Not about their suffering. Not at all._

_They brought it on themselves the moment they took Naruto away from me._

_They deserve it!_

_Pathetic voice after pathetic voice screams at me helplessly as I shatter their lives and their homes. So pathetic. That's such the perfect word for these people._

_Pathetic._

_Worthless._

Prey_._

_Then I hear a baby's cry._

_Is it . . .?_

_Naruto._

_It's Naruto's cry. I can tell. I heard his voice when I attacked those bastards before!_

_To my right._

_He's so small._

_The woman holding him is so small too. Just a little dark-haired girl or woman._

_So she gets to be my last victim._

_Or maybe just another in a series of victims._

_Maybe I'll just destroy the whole village anyway._

_Why does she look familiar?_

_And her voice. Her smooth, clear voice!_

_What's she saying?_

_Should I care?_

_Kooshana? Kunshira?_

_"Kushina! Stop! Now!"_

_Wait . . . wait . . ._

_That voice._

_It's . . . it's . . ._

Mikoto_!_

_Wait, then . . ._

_Then . . ._

_The village is . . ._

_Is . . ._

_Konoha._

_I . . ._

_I . . ._

_What . . ._

_Oh no._

_Get human. Get human _now_!_

_Give me back control you stupid beast!_

_Give the control back to me! Get the hell back inside me!_

_NOW!_

_Pain, pain, so much pain._

_So much cracking. My bones. My muscles. My_

_everything._

_So much screaming._

_Is it . . . it's my screaming._

_The only screaming now is my own._

_As it . . . as it . . ._

_Should be._

* * *

I am nothing but an exhausted heap on the rocky ground, the strands of my red hair covering part of my eyes, my entire body wracked with incredible pain, my vision blurred with tears.

What have I done?

The village. It had been Konoha.

My village.

My husband's village.

I just . . . I just . . .

_What have I done_?

Footsteps. From my right.

Crying. My baby's crying.

Naruto.

Naruto.

What have I done, Naruto?

I look towards the sound of my baby's wailing voice, and I try to crawl over to the sound. I feel so weak I have no strength to stand or even sit up. I can only crawl.

They're going to kill me. I know they will. I've betrayed them. I've killed them.

I have to make it to Naruto first.

I have to see my baby before they kill me.

Please, just give me the small mercy of seeing my baby before you kill me for what I've done.

Footsteps. A woman's footsteps. Right in front of me. It has to be Mikoto. She was the one carrying Naruto in the first place.

"Naruto." My voice is so hoarse and weak and pathetic. As it should be.

I force myself to try to stand up. The pain is so excruciating that it takes every worn, burned fiber of my soul to force my body to do something it just plain doesn't want to do.

But I have to.

I have to.

For Naruto.

"My baby," I forced myself to say.

"He's right here." It's still Mikoto.

He's cradled in her arms.

"Can I . . . can I . . .?"

"Yes."

She lifts the blanket just enough for me to see him.

His head is covered in blonde fuzz, the same shade as Minato's on his head. He's going to look so much like his amazing father.

And his face contorted into a continuous wail.

My poor baby. My poor son. My poor Naruto.

"It's okay, sweetie," I manage, forcing myself to stagger over to Mikoto. "It's okay. Mommy's here, Naruto."

His wails are already softening. He recognizes my voice. He knows I'm his mother. How can a baby already know that?

"Mommy's here, Naruto. That's your name. Isn't such a beautiful name?"

I'm close enough to touch him, and I rub his forehead softly.

He opens his blue eyes, and seeing them is enough to bring tears to my eyes.

He's so beautiful.

My baby. My beautiful, sweet son.

He doesn't deserve me. He doesn't deserve to have a murderer for a mother.

"Mikoto," I manage. "Please kill me."

"What?" she asks, clearly taken aback.

I look right at her shocked brown eyes. "Please kill me."

Mikoto's brown eyes widen. "If I wanted to kill you, you would already be dead! When you changed back, you were a bleeding mess! You needed medical attention on the spot in order to survive! The Uchiha clan's medics _saved_you, Kushina!"

"W-What?"

It's only then that I realize I'm surrounded by people.

It's only then that I realize they're all _staring_at me.

Civilians, medics, shinobi, kunoichi, jonin, genin, chuunin alike.

All staring at me.

"What . . . what did I do?" I ask.

"You had changed all the way into . . . into some fox form that had eight tails," Mikoto replies. "You were big and strong enough to knock down the outer wall and destroy half of the buildings that were ringing the wall."

"D-Did I . . . did I kill people?" I'm backing away, away from the crowd, still staring at me. I'm behind my old friend now. They want their vengeance, don't they?"

"I don't know. It's not looking good for some of them," my old friend replies.

Should I just let them kill me?

But then . . . the Nine-Tailed Fox demon will just be revived someday on its own, and it'll hunt down Konoha out of vengeance for being sealed. That's what will happen. Maybe that's what already happened. Maybe the Nine-Tails manipulated me into doing this, feeding me lies without me realizing it so I could slaughter the whole village unaware that it was actually Konoha.

If the demon, fully unleashed, attacked Konoha . . .

There would be no way to stop it, and no one controlling it.

It would be my fault, _again_.

No. The only thing I can do for everyone here, especially for Naruto, is to disappear. Disappear until it's time to pass the Nine-Tails onto another person. A person far more capable of accepting the responsibility, the power, and the bloodlust, than I will ever be.

Mikoto turns around. "Kushina! We don't want to kill you! Please, you don't need to run!"

It's like she can read my mind. But that was just Mikoto knowing me so well. We've been friends for so long. She knows how scared I am, how I have to feel.

I'm right by the village gate, right by where there's a massive cave-in. Must be literally right by where I crashed in.

But no. Mikoto's wrong even if she's right. I can't stay here. What I've done is unforgivable.

I'm too much of a danger to everyone here, and Naruto doesn't need to grow up knowing his mother's a monster.

Anything but that.

"Mikoto," I say with every bit of strength I have, "Please. Don't let anyone come after me. Let me die alone."

"Kushina, wait!" my old friend pleads.

It's almost enough to make me stop.

Almost.

Despite the longing to collapse and cry in Mikoto Uchiha's arms, I force myself to turn around and begin running.

I run out of the village and down the trail, and then leap into the trees.

And I keep going.

I don't stop until some point during the day, when I finally collapse.

And I'm finally alone.

As it should be.

This is what I deserve. To be without Naruto, to be without my friends, to be without my husband, because of what I've done.

To be alone with no one but the monster inside me.

Who must never come out again.

For the sake of Konoha, my friends . . .

And my son.

* * *

The music I listen to when I write this fic:

EVERYTHING Naruto Shippuden BGM-related

Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales OST


	2. Loner

Wow, wasn't expecting so many favorites so quickly. ^^;

Thank you very much for your feedback for chapter one. I will respond to every review for chapter two no matter how many or how few I get, but I just don't have time right now.

I will say this: Naruto is returning to US TV in UNCUT form on the night of December 1st. 12:30 a.m. EST/11:30 p.m. CST on Toonami on Adult Swim. Be there. It is starting over from the beginning, and it is not Shippuden, but still. Uncut Naruto.

And this chapter being posted is in celebration of Naruto being re-introduced to us all.

Also, I have edited chapter one. Please re-read it before you read this chapter. There's been some significant changes to the prose and story.

* * *

**Chapter Two: Loner**

I've lost count of all the years I've spent completely, utterly alone. At some point the passage of time began to blur. I'm a ghost in this forest, spending days and nights completely self-sufficient, without venturing into any towns. Exactly how I want it.

I can count all of the people who've walked by my cabin since I came out here. Sixteen. That's it. One of whom is the same person who I've seen, even talked to. She's just a merchant by the name of Tomoe, who uses the rough trail by where I live as her own private shortcut whenever she needs to go northwest and back again. She rarely travels to Konoha, though, so all I get from her is vague hearsay.

I still live in the Land of Fire, by the border of it, to be exact. As far away from Konoha as possible without completely abandoning the territory. At some point, I'm going to need a successor, someone who can withstand the Nine-Tails' power and not succumb the way I did when I attacked Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

But how? It's not like I can ever go back. It's not my home anymore. It stopped being my home the moment I attacked them.

But I'm going to need to find someone with the Uzumaki bloodline. Alternatively, find someone with the rich chakra reserves to withstand the demon and become empowered by the Nine-Tails, instead of being killed or absorbed by it.

But for now, I don't think about it that much. At some point, I will need to venture out into the world and find my successor as a jinchuuriki. Before it's too late. Before I die and the demon is once again reborn, independent and free, and seeks revenge on Konoha for imprisoning it within a human being.

When I don't hunt, I practice. Like I'm doing now. I teach myself _everything_, what I can't learn from the few books I've been able to garner during my trip all the way out here. I never stop or "take a day off". I will be _perfect _physically before I walk back out into the world and allow this cabin to be slowly absorbed back into the forest. The strongest, the smartest, the quickest I can possibly be.

But every now and then, I hear a clock ticking in the back of my head. I may not know how many years it's been since I fled Konoha, but I figure I have to be at least thirty. My time will soon run out and I _will _need my successor.

The frustration from this knowledge causes me to lose my concentration, and the energy I was trying to build in my right hand falters and fizzes out. That's actually somewhat of a relief. I've had many practice runs where it simply blows up, injuring me badly. I have incredible healing powers thanks to being a jinchuuriki, but the pain just adds to how weary I feel spiritually, if not physically.

I can hear the demon chuckle at me. It finds my failures amusing for whatever reason. It tries to sound feminine, to make me think it's a relatable, conversational being, but I never believe it. I will not fall for it. I am close to certain that the Nine-Tails influenced, if not completely empowered, my Konoha rampage, and all that proved is that I can't trust it.

I position myself again. I need to get all of the energy together. Just like how I saw Minato do it. It was something he had worked on his whole life, but he had never been able to completely finish it. But I had seen him work tirelessly on this move. I can finish what he started. If I can get it right, I will have my ultimate self-defense against anyone who tries to take the demon inside me.

C'mon. C'mon. Use my left hand to pool all of the energy. All of the force. Build it into a sphere, like I'm carving a clay pot. I've spent months, if not years, trying to get this right. I've made myself so strong that I _have _to be able to withstand all of the turbulence and energy. I have to!

C'mon. Hold together. Hold together. Be a perfect sphere. Don't start getting lumpy. I don't need another explosion in my face. I have had _enough_pain in my life.

I stop moving my left hand, and I look at the glowing sphere of energy. It looks stable, but that's been a false positive in the past. The moment I start moving, it falls out of my control or becomes dangerously unbalanced.

I look at a tree about ten yards in front of me. Its trunk is nice and thick. My perfect target.

Let's go. Take off at a run. And then _slam _this sphere right into it!

Hold onto it. Keep it balanced. Keep it on my hand until the very last moment!

Five yards. Four. Three. I still have it! It's still on my hand! It's starting to grow a lump, but it hasn't come undone.

I'm almost there!

Two yards! Close enough!

"_Rasengan_!"

The trickiest part of all. Keeping the sphere from falling off as I thrust my right arm forward. I move my arm as fast as I can and blast right into the tree trunk. The sphere hits the tree and _explodes_.

I close my eyes as splinters fly everywhere, and I feel more than one hit my body. The momentary pain is gone within seconds.

Okay. Did I do it? My arm doesn't feel like it's exploded along with the sphere. It doesn't hurt, at least. My right eye opens gingerly, and I look at my right arm.

It's still attached. No signs of it being blown off or vaporized. That's a good sign.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I fall to my knees and let myself be consumed by my exhaustion. Sweat pours down my brow and drips onto the blades of grass below my feet. It's taken me an hour of this session to get it right. Finally. After all of these weeks and months and years getting myself to this point, I am strong enough, and my memory clear enough, that I was able to fire that incredible attack that Minato had worked so hard to create and never got to fully finish.

Minato, just a little more, and I will finish what you have started. This ultimate move. Your "Rasengan".

My effort was imperfect, though, as I can see I've put in a massive dent into that tree, a mortal wound for the poor thing, but I didn't cleave it.

Now I need to refine it. Keep developing it until I can pull it off on demand. Perfectly. Repeatedly. I'm looking at another few weeks here at _least_.

But it's gratifying, in some small way. It's gratifying to know I succeeded in _something_.

And it's gratifying to not hear the Nine-Tails chuckle at me. The beast is silent, perhaps even stunned. It probably never believed I would've been able to pull it off.

I force myself to stand up, and I brush off the dirt on my knees. It's time to head back, and just relax. I'm going to take the rest of the day off. I don't know what I'm going to do, but I'm going to do _something_, even if it's just reading Jiraiya's novel for the hundredth time. I wonder if he's written a sequel to _The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi_. Or created a different series or just a bunch of unrelated oneoffs.

It's saddening that I do not know.

Almost as sad as walking home to a cabin filled with only necessities to survive and few comforts to remind me I'm alive.

I truly have become a ghost.

A ghost of flesh and blood.

* * *

I built the cabin myself, though I am not proud of it. It took me years to completely build this place, with a small entrance, a living room to the right, a kitchen in the back, and my bedroom beside the kitchen to the left. To the left after entering the cabin, there's my exercise room, used most often during the freezing winters when I try to limit my hours outside . . . as well as where I store my weapons, however few and improvised they are.

There is no joy in coming home. Just the mild relief that no assassin waits inside or outside my walls preparing to kill me.

Like every other day I come home, I can put my kunai away and take off my coat, and sit on my improvished, imperfect, slightly leaning-to-the-left rocking chair, draped with a blanket that I knitted myself from cloth purchased from Tomoe, and just sit down.

I'm starting to get hungry. I still have some meat left over, in a small icebox that I once again purchased from Tomoe, so I'll be able to have a semi-decent stew tonight combined with the vegetables I've grown. I just wish I could make more broth, for a stew it's going to be surprisingly dry.

I'm running out of money. During my years away from Konoha, before I wound up here, I did a bunch of odd and temporary jobs in disguise, intending to gather as much savings as possible. It was enough that I was able to buy some decent things from Tomoe, but now, I'm finally running low. I'll barely have enough to buy anything more than a token amount of yarn when she comes through. Perhaps that is the reminder, more than anything else, that I will need to interact with the world again.

Just out of financial necessity.

The Nine-Tails, that infantile schemer, is chuckling at me again. I think about diving down, into myself, to interact with the beast, just so I can hear my own voice again. "Rasengan" is the only word I've spoken in the last three or four days.

No. No, I won't. I don't crave interaction enough to talk to a beast that seeks only to manipulate me and ultimately escape me. This is what I gave up, _intentionally_. I can't regret it. I can't.

_Even Naruto_?

That demonic bastard. It's trying to sound so maternal right now, so kind, but I can hear the mischievous, condescending tone lurking underneath. It said that to hurt me.

And it always does. It always does.

Every time I think of Naruto, I always think of his face, seeing his face relax from his mouth open crying, to giving me the faintest of smiles before I left him. How old is he now? What is he doing? Does he think of me at all?

I put my hand to my mouth and try to stifle a sob as it tries to escape my throat. A couple of tears spill from my eyes and fall down my cheeks. I can't help it. Naruto, I still love you. I love you and I have yet to see you since the day you were born. You did not deserve this. You never deserved this.

Never deserved a dead father and an absent mother who abandoned you.

I don't know why I'm trying to hide my crying. There's no one here to witness it, other than The Nine-Tails who knows exactly how I feel and that's why it tries to torture me over it.

I sniff a few times and lean back, shifting my weight slightly to the right so my imperfect chair doesn't want to tip over and send me crashing to the ground. Maybe I should work on fixing this today, instead of resting. Or just build a new one from scratch. It'll take me a long time, but I've already spent a long time alone. What's longer mean to me anymore?

Then, I hear it.

A soft rustle out in the front.

I only have one window, by where I keep my rocking chair, and I quickly spring away, out of sight, grabbing my kunai on the way and stand right beside my door.

I hear a gruff female voice growl. "Damn it, Guy! She knows we're here now!"

"The mission said stealth for us is not a priority! This is not an assassination, after all! A real man does not sneak around a house belonging to someone he knows!" Might Guy's cocky, brash voice replies.

I know these people. It's made especially clear as I hear the dogs growling.

It's Tsume Inuzuka in addition to Might Guy and who knows what else.

Well, what do you know?

They finally found me.

Or finally cared enough to search for me.

They sound a little older too, though their voices are still recognizable. Though Tsume's voice is significantly different. Her voice sounds like it has roughened considerably since the last time I had heard her.

I put my kunai away. I'm not going to kill them. I know these people. I'll just have to fight them and beat them down and walk away after subduing them. And then find an even more remote place, even if it is outside the Land of Fire.

"What are you doing?" Tsume asks as proud, thumping footsteps come closer to my door.

I know Might Guy. And what he's going to do.

"What I do best," Guy says.

"Oh no." Tsume sounds mortified.

"Time for a _dynamic entry_!" As he shouts this I hear a running start, and then a loud _slam _as he kicks my door down . . . or rather, kicks the door all the way across the room until it slams into the wood at the back of the small entryway.

He's in mid-air. Exposed. Vulnerable.

His eyes widen and his mouth hangs open in shock as he sees me. I don't even give him enough time to land on the ground before I attack.

I grab him by the shoulders and then slam him to the ground, then pick him up and slam him the other direction, and then repeat that one more time apiece. Then I pin him against the wall, uppercut him, spin him around so his back is facing me, and then kick him into my living room. He flies headfirst into my rocking chair, shattering it in the process, and then smacks right into the wooden logs and falls down flat on his stomach.

His reaction to it all is unsurprisingly succinct. "Ow."

I hear Tsume's dogs, and I turn back around. They're almost on top of me.

Hurting animals isn't something I like doing, but I don't have a choice. I'm about to kick the first of Tsume's dogs when I hear another familiar voice.

"Everyone, _stop_!"

Mikoto Uchiha. Her voice hasn't changed all all despite all of these years.

Tsume immediately shouts "Heel! Both of you!"

The dogs were literally a second from attacking me. They remain in attack position, and growl, but they don't do anything more than that.

Mikoto runs past Tsume and steps in-between the two dogs in front of me. "Kushina! Kushina, stop! They're not here to kill you!"

"They're not?" I ask.

Mikoto takes another step forward. "That's why they brought me along. To prove that you're not going to die here or when we bring you back to Konoha. We're just here to bring you home, that's all. It's time you went back."

"You're serious."

Mikoto smiles. "Of course I'm serious. I'm your friend, Kushina. We're here to bring you back home to Konoha . . . and to Naruto."

She means it. She really means it. Just by the way she said Naruto's name.

"I see." My voice sounds so soft.

Mikoto smiles awkwardly. "So you didn't need to attack Guy like that."

"Guy didn't need to kick my door open," I reply.

Tsume sighs. "Guy does what Guy does. Let me see if he needs medical attention."

"I am perfectly fine!" Guy says from behind me.

I turn around, and I see his face, covered in marks that would undoubtedly become bruises, grinning at me with a missing gap in his teeth. His right hand is in the air, giving us all a thumbs-up. "It's beautiful when a woman can kick my ass."

His eyes roll back into his head. "Darrrr . . ." He falls backward, limp.

Tsume sighs again. "I see my assumption is correct. Stand aside so I can give this idiot some first aid."

I let Tsume and her dogs go, and then I feel a hand on my shoulder. I nearly strike, but I know it's Mikoto and I force myself to hold back. I'm not going to hurt her. I won't live with myself if I harm my best friend, who had ordered the Uchiha clan to heal me even after my attack on the village.

The woman who had found my son and showed him to me so I would stop killing people.

Mikoto smiles at me warmly. "Please. It's time we got re-acquainted. Let Tsume tend to Guy's injuries. Where's a place to sit down?"

"I have a small table in the kitchen. There's only one chair, though. I never expected to have any company ever again," I reply.

Mikoto nods. "It's okay. That'll work fine. Come on."

She walks ahead, into my kitchen, and I follow her.

* * *

I stand over the stove, trying to make my beef stew as Mikoto sits down at my lone chair. As I expected, not enough material was left to make a decent broth, so the concoction was going to taste watered-down, but it's the best I can do on my limited resources. I'm not the cook I once was. Food is food to me. There's no joy in preparing it or eating it anymore, not like when Minato would praise me whenever I made him something and tell me it was the best thing he had ever tried.

"How long has it been?" I finally ask as I stir.

"Eight years," Mikoto says.

I nearly drop my utensils into the stew. "That long?"

I turn back at Mikoto, and she nods. "Naruto's birthday was last week. We were hoping to find you and bring you back home before, but you were harder to track than we anticipated. The last leads on you from any of the towns remotely close to you were from six years ago. We were lucky that Tsume's dogs caught your scent when we were on the outskirts of this forest, or we would have never found you."

Naruto. Eight years old. Already. At least he was still alive. It was a fear that I refused to think about, that Naruto might die while I was gone. I wouldn't give Kurama any more ammunition to torture me even more, so I just plain would not think about it. Knowing that it was baseless was a relief nevertheless, but it just made me want to cry again.

Mikoto had to have adopted him. There was no way she'd have let Naruto be raised without parents. The thought of my son as a Uchiha seemed odd, but it was a much better fate than growing up along. Besides, Mikoto has a son around Naruto's age, Sasuke, himself just a baby when I left Konoha. Naruto and Sasuke would make good playmates, wouldn't they?

"How's Naruto been?" I ask, knowing the answer will inevitably make me cry but I had to ask anyway.

Mikoto's face falls, and my stomach immediately feels like churning over. "No. No, Mikoto. What's going on? What's Naruto been-"

Mikoto's eyes seem to shimmer as she looks right at me. "Kushina, I'm sorry. I would have cared for Naruto, but my husband wouldn't let me! Neither would the clan. They didn't want an outsider baby, especially the child of someone who killed an Uchiha clan member, brought into the clan!"

No. No, this isn't right. This isn't right at all. This sounds _horrible_. And . . .

And Mikoto had just confirmed my worst fears, a fact I had always known but wouldn't believe in, not completely. Someone _had _died on that night. And I'm sure this Uchiha clan member wasn't the only one.

"How did I kill him?" I ask, trying to keep my tears from falling in front of her. I don't want to break down. Not in front of Mikoto.

"When you knocked over the wall, some of the rubble squished him flat," Mikoto replies. "It took us two days before we realized he was dead, he was so completely buried. I'm sorry, Kushina. You killed ten people in Konoha that night."

Ten. Ten lives. Not to mention the monsters who had originally taken Naruto away. That added the total to fifteen or sixteen, easily.

Now I really _do _drop my utensil, and I grip my hands on the nearest countertop, well, truthfully, a piece of wood jutting out that vaguely resembles one, trying to keep my balance. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Mikoto. I didn't mean to do it. You have to believe me!"

"Kushina, it's all right. You know I don't blame you. Some in Konoha do, but I don't," Mikato says, trying to give me a reassuring smile, but I can see the nervousness in her eyes. "Some" meant "the majority" at the very least.

She gets up and walks over to me and wraps her arms around me. "Something tells me you haven't had a lot of these over the last eight years," Mikoto says.

"No." As the thought hits me over how long it's been since I've last been embraced, it makes me feel something I had managed to keep at bay for all of these years.

Loneliness.

"Not a single one," I choke out as my throat closes up and tears come out of my eyes.

"It's okay," Mikoto whispers softly. "It's okay."

I want to just cry into her shoulder, but I know I can't. Naruto stays fully in my mind. I can't cry. Not yet. Not until I know about Naruto. "Naruto. Where's Naruto? How's he been?"

"He's a troublemaker," says that gruff, husky voice of Tsume.

I look up and to my left, and there she is, on the edge of my kitchen. "He's been nothing but an obnoxious brat running around playing stupid tricks on anyone foolish enough to fall for them."

"Tsume! Don't say that!" Mikoto exclaims.

"She needs to know exactly why we're bringing her back to Konoha!" Tsume shouts, and Mikato clings to me, just a little. Tsume frightens Mikoto in some small way, I sense.

"And it got worse," Tsume says, her right hand clenching into a fist. I can't help but envision her squeezing Naruto like a giant constrictor snake in that hand.

I immediately want to attack her. I force myself not to. If I fought Tsume, it wouldn't solve anything. I'd beat her and probably kill her dogs, and where would that get any of us?

"What has Naruto been doing?" I ask.

Tsume just chuckles bitterly. "There's another kid, a teenage girl. Anko Mitarashi. Just unceremoniously dumped in our village, apparently by the villain Orochimaru. She was a failed experiment of his."

I know who Orichimaru is, though he's a generation before me. Apparently he's a sadistic villain who loves experimenting on people and performed many illegal jutsus, both on himself and on others. There were rumors before I left Konoha that he's more animal than human now, or had turned himself into something that such terms simply couldn't apply to him. Other than _monster_.

"Has Anko done anything to Naruto?" I ask. That's the first thought that comes to me. That Orochimaru's former "experiment" might try to do something to Naruto.

"No. If anything, they've bonded. Almost like siblings," Tsume spat. "We were hoping that having Anko essentially being Naruto's babysitter of sorts would help her heal emotionally and have her learn responsibility because she has a tendency to act out like Naruto does. And instead . . ."

Tsume sighs. "It turns out that Anko is a hooligan just like Naruto. She's just a _part-time_ hooligan as opposed to Naruto's _full-time_ status. And that brings us to _you_."

I know what's coming before Tsume can say it. "You people believe Naruto has potential, but he needs discipline, and an actual parent instead of a girl who isn't much different than Naruto is. That's why you came all this way."

The selfish reason behind all of this is almost as heartbreaking as knowing Naruto was causing trouble. "You didn't come and get me because you want me or forgive me. You just seek me out to bring Naruto under control. That's all, isn't it?"

Mikoto lets go of me and gets between me and Tsume, and looks at me in the eye. "Please, Kushina. Naruto needs his mother. He's good-natured, I know he is, but he desperately wants attention. He does most of his tricks when Anko is away on missions, when he's all alone. People ignore him and isolate him, Kushina. Tsume isn't telling you the full story. She's just being cruel and blunt because that's how she is."

Tsume makes an uncomfortable grunting noise and begins scratching the back of her head. "You don't need to put it like _that_. . ."

The reasoning, even when dressed up like Mikoto just did, is still so selfish it's sickening. But, at the same time . . . to return to Konoha for _any _reason, just to be with my son, even though I've missed the first eight years of his life . . .

"Please, Kushina. Naruto needs you. The _village _needs you. You're our Jinchuuriki. Our protector," Mikoto says, her hands folded in front of her. She's begging me.

I can't stand to see my old friend beg.

And I can't stand to just _hear _about my son. I need to see him. Perhaps it's nostaglia or something else, but the reappearance of an old friend and a pair of acquaintances in my life just makes me want to go home.

It tells me that I'm terrible at being a loner.

"Please come home," Mikoto says.

I can only think of Naruto, cradled in that blanket in Mikoto's arms eight years ago. Listening to them, if Naruto is lonely and isolated, and is acting out just to get attention, that is my fault as well. I'm the one who made sure that would happen because Naruto's the son of a murderer. Who wants to pay attention to the son of a woman who let her inner demon take her over and attack Konoha?

I can't blame Naruto for this at all. In the end, it is all my fault.

And the only way to fix this at all to is . . .

"Mikoto," I finally say. I try to force a smile. The first smile in such a long time. I've almost forgotten and I'm sure it looks painful and false, but I need to. I absolutely _need _to smile. For not only their sakes, but for mine.

"I understand. Please take me home."

Mikoto's eyes light up and she runs forward, embracing me once again. "Thank you, Kushina. Thank you."

I want to say "you're welcome", but my throat is constricted again, and I can't say a word in response.

But a realization comes to me. For once, it is a beautiful one.

I don't need to say anything at all.


	3. Homecoming

Another chapter to be perused or ignored I guess. XD Hope you like-y.

* * *

**Chapter Three: Homecoming**

It's the middle of the night when we make it back to Konoha, after about two weeks' worth of brisk traveling. The wall has been repaired, looking like I had never touched it at all.

I can only see some of the buildings through the entrance into Konoha, but it doesn't look like it's changed, not even a tiny bit.

"Finally," Tsume says. "Home at last. Our first S-ranked mission is complete, Guy. How do you feel?"

"I still can't feel my face," Guy moans. His face, along with other parts of his body, had swelled up and bruised.

"Sounds perfect to me. I'm outta here. C'mon, boys," Tsume says to her dogs, and they bark and they follow her into the village, and they both vanish.

"Wait, _I _was an S-ranked mission?"

"There was the _slim_ possibility that you would attack us," Mikoto says, a weird little smile crossing her face.

"I bet Kakashi that I would make it through unscathed. Now I owe him a hundred bowls of ramen," Guy said. "Now I need to see if I even have enough money for that."

He chuckles. "But that is the kind of bet a man has just got to make."

He raises his right arm and gives me a thumbs-up with that confident smile, and I hear an odd cracking sound.

"Ow." His left arm reaches and grabs his back. "I'm just . . . I'm just gonna go home now."

He limps away into the village.

I had done some _serious _injuries to him, and Tsume suspected it would take at least another week for Guy's face to return to normal. The only injury that had been fixed right away was a separated shoulder. Everything else? Not really. Especially, as Tsume told me during one of the nights spent in the wilderness, Guy's legendary ego.

He was probably going to train even harder at taijutsu in order to make sure that what I had done to him couldn't happen again. In a way, I hope he will. That way all of the pain I've given him can ultimately mean something. Humiliating the poor man isn't something I'm proud of, even if Tsume and Mikoto both find it privately amusing.

"There's one thing that surprises me," I say.

"Yes?" Mikoto asks.

"I'm surprised it was just three of you for an S-ranked mission. Especially you, Mikoto, who's no longer active. Wouldn't it be considered kind of unnecessarily risky?"

"Not really," Mikoto says, smiling. She leans in next to my ear and whispers. "Look up at the trees by the wall."

I do, and I can just make out dark shapes moving from the trees, leaping onto the wall and into the village. Just barely blotting out the stars in the sky.

Now I can't help but smile, albeit resignedly. No wonder. We had been watched the whole time by the ANBU.

"Just you, Tsume, Guy, and the guards, right?" I ask.

"Basically every member of the ANBU Black Ops that were available," Mikoto replies, giving me an awkward little grin. "It was difficult finding people who wanted to take the mission on. Tsume took it because I think she's honestly fearless and Guy . . . well, probably because of pride. And bragging rights. Though I don't think he has much to brag about if he has to buy Kakashi a hundred bowls of ramen."

Kakashi Hatake. Ramen. Might Guy. Mikoto Uchiha. Tsume Inuzuka. ANBU Black Ops. All of these names, all of these terms. I never thought I would hear them ever again.

My stomach growls at the mere _thought _of ramen. I haven't cooked it in such a long time, I never had the noodles. I wonder if I still can.

Maybe I'll cook Naruto some. Maybe that'll be our first meal together. I wonder if he likes it. If he has more of his father in him than just his hair and eyes, he will. Even if I mess it up, he will.

The thought of doing that filled me with something I can't describe, something warm and comforting and nostalgic. "Love" doesn't describe it at all. Neither does "compassion". Or "yearning". It's something beyond anything that mere words can describe.

I just want to see him. I want to find him and hold him in my arms and tell him he will never be alone again.

Will he be happy to see me? Will he be ambivalent? Will he reject me?

Oh no.

What if he rejects me? I haven't even thought about that possibility.

My whole body tenses up as it finally occurs to me that Naruto _might not be happy to see me_.

"Is something wrong?" Mikoto asks.

"No," I say, even though I know my voice is clearly revealing the lie. "Just take me to wherever Naruto lives."

"All right," Mikoto says softly. "He lives in a small apartment. Follow me. It's not a long walk."

"Thank you, Mikoto," I reply.

Mikoto smiles at me and says what I couldn't bear to say right before we left my cabin. "You're welcome."

She begins walking briskly, probably to not alarm the gate guards, and I follow her, hoping the gate guards won't recognize me.

Just let me see Naruto first before word gets out that I'm here.

That's all I'm asking for.

It can't be too much.

Can it?

* * *

Naruto's apartment is close to the top of a white building, and after rounding a staircase that seemed to go on forever, Mikoto sighs softly. "I hate to admit it, but Naruto even spent some time on the street before Anko came into his life. He is completely dependent on Anko's income from doing the C-ranked missions she does."

Knowing this just fills me with more guilt. It's just more knowledge of how badly I failed my son. This isn't what my husband would have wanted at _all_. He would have wanted something much, much better for Naruto, with or without him.

I can't break down. Not here. Not when I'm so close to finally seeing him again.

"Is . . . is Anko like a mother to him?" I ask softly.

"No," Mikoto replies, and she sounds truthful to me, thankfully. "More like an older sister."

A mild relief, but it barely touches my nervousness as I look at the door. How is it that I can just attack Might Guy and beat him up without a second thought, and then be so afraid of talking to a _child_? What does that make me?

"Do you want me to knock?" Mikoto asks after a moment.

"No. I will," I say. I stare at the door one more time, then walk forward. I have to do this. I will never be able to be Naruto's mother if I can't even knock on the door he's behind.

So I do. _Thunk thunk thunk_.

A solid wood sound. At least it sounds sturdy.

But there's nothing. Not a sound. Just complete, total silence.

Mikoto sighs. "Anko and Naruto can sleep through a war. You _really_need to make some noise most of the time."

"All right." Making a racket isn't something I really want to do right now, but . . . my son is worth it. Seeing him at long last will be worth making noise.

So I hit the door _hard_, holding back just enough so I don't put a dent into it. _THUMP THUMP THUMP_.

A groggy, cracking female voice, sounds somewhere in the range of sixteen through twenty. "Agh! I'm coming, I'm coming, hang on a sec! Don't knock down the door, I'm sick 'n' tired of replacing it!"

Has to be Anko. Looks like I'll see her first.

And looks like my suspicions of the door being dented are correct as well. Some things, like my common sense and instincts, never go away.

Distant _thumps_ as she trudges towards the door, and then it opens with a soft _creak_.

It's a girl, teenaged by the looks of her, with violet hair and brown eyes, athletic and pretty. She rubs her left eyelid with her left hand as she talks to me. "I'm here, I'm here. What's your problem? It's like three in the morning."

I realize I have no clue what to say to her.

I can't stand here, staring at her like an idiot. I can't. If I can't even talk to her, how can I talk to Naruto? Just another step in the progression to finally talk to him.

"You're Anko. Anko Mitarashi, aren't you?"

"Yeah? What of it?" Anko asks, rubbing her other eye. "Look, I need my beauty sleep, so can this wait until morning? Seriously, what's so important that I need to be awake and stuff right now?"

Come on. Talk. Keep talking. Before she shuts the door and you don't see your son for hours and this girl thinks you're a creepy idiot! You can't let her do this. She is not Naruto's mother! You are!

Speak! Say something, anything!

"I . . . I need to see Naruto," I say finally, just as Anko was about to reach for the front door.

"Naruto?" Anko appears more alert all of a sudden.

"Yes. I . . . I need to speak to Naruto. He's here, right?"

Anko's palm slaps her face. "Yeah, he's here, so."

She marches into the apartment, turning on lights as she goes. "_Naruto_! What kinda stupid trick did ya pull _this _time?"

Then I hear it. His voice.

Sounds rough and energetic, a little nasal, but that may be because Anko just woke him up. "Whaddya mean? I didn't do anything!"

"Well we got a strange lady at the door at three in the frickin' morning! C'mon, whatcha do?"

"I'm tellin' ya I didn't do anything!"

"That's it! Noogie time 'til you fess up!"

"_Nooo_! Anything but that-argh!"

This teenage girl who thinks I'm strange and whom I have never seen or met before is giving my son _noogies_. I don't know whether to laugh or slink away and leave Konoha all over again.

Mikoto looks bemused. "Well, um . . . I guess we can invite ourselves in."

"Should we?" I ask her.

Mikoto's hands point towards the door. "He's your son. You should go first."

She's right. It doesn't make me want to walk through that door, though. But I know I have to. I can't be indecisive anymore. I have come this far, and I have heard Naruto's voice. I _have _to go inside. He's so close.

So I walk.

The room looks like a blur as I walk through it, almost tripping over a beige coat strewn on the floor that looks like it belongs to Anko. Other than the coat, the apartment, at least in this room, seems to be in reasonable order, not particularly clean but not a pig sty either. Then again, I'm not paying close attention to it. Everything is focused on beyond a corner.

I peek past the corner, and it looks like a small kitchen of some kind, with a hallway leading out of a kitchen to two small rooms, one on each side. The one of the left has its light on, and I can hear their voices.

"Come on! I didn't do anything this time!"

"Oh yes you did! This one had to be a doozy, Naruto! Why else do we have somebody here in the middle of the night? Fess up already!"

"You're gonna noogie the hair off my head!"

"That's _your _problem!"

By that point, I've reached the end of the hallway, and I look inside the room, to see Anko's left arm around Naruto and her right hand on the top of Naruto's head. They both look at me, wide-eyed, and then quickly separate and stand up, Anko awkwardly clearing her throat right away.

That's him.

He's eight years older but it is undoubtedly him.

His blue eyes have not changed a bit, and his hair is exactly like Minato's, blonde and spiky. He seems to have some dark whisker lines on his fairly round face, and he has a mischievous, bright look about him without even trying. Wearing dark pants and a gray shirt, he rubs his eyes in-between looking at me.

And, even more than with Anko, I'm clueless as what to say.

My throat just will not open. I force it to open, but my voice can only manage a throaty croak. My lungs don't seem to be working either, it's getting so hard to breathe. "So you're Naruto."

"That's right. Naruto Uzumaki."

That's my maiden name. He's taken on my maiden name. Hearing that family name makes the pressure around my heart and lungs even stronger, and my vision blurs. I blink away the tears as he and Anko began talking to me.

"And I'm Anko Mitarashi!" the teenage girl adds.

"Soul siblings!" Naruto exclaims.

"United against the world!" Anko yells.

"Together forever!" They both shout, their hands raised with V-signs and giant grins on their faces.

I blink away another tear. "Do . . . do you two rehearse that?"

"Nah, not anymore. Comes all natural and stuff now," Anko says. "It's fun, so."

"I can see that," I manage by literally forcing the air through my throat.

Naruto scratches his head. "So who are you, lady? Never seen ya before."

Words a child should never say to his parent. _So who are you?_

Hearing that wipes the smile right off my face, and my heart genuinely does feel like it's going to explode. I put my hand over my heart, and try to breathe. Why? Why did he have to say that? Of course, he doesn't genuinely know me. He's never seen me before. Probably doesn't even have a photograph. He's had no family other than this Anko girl his whole life. He's desired attention and love and no one else gave it to him.

Anko reacts. "Naruto! Why'd you have to say _that _for?"

"What? I told ya I didn't know her! Whaddya expect me to say?"

So frank. Just like . . . just like . . .

Me. When I was his age, I was the exact same way. So blunt, so forceful, on the borderline of insensitive.

He inherited his father's looks but my childhood personality. Somehow . . . that makes sense. I don't know how but it does. It just does not surprise me.

"It's okay," I force out.

"Huh?" Anko looks at me, and then she must have seen my face, and my tears, before she looks back to Naruto. "Naruto, she's crying now!"

"What now?" Naruto looks back at me. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to, well, I mean . . ."

"It's not your fault," I say.

Now. Finally, after all this time, I'm figuring out what to say. It's taking so much effort to tell him, but I know what I have to tell him, and how to tell it. I just needed Anko and Naruto to give me the ideal opening.

"It's not your fault, Naruto. You . . . you haven't done anything wrong. I-It's me. I'm the one who made the mistake, N-Naruto."

I sniff, trying to give myself more air. My throat's so choked up that I can't talk. This emotion that I can't express has basically become my entire being right here and now, and I know that it is some sort of love for the child in front of me.

"Naruto, I . . . I am . . ."

I just want to fall to my knees and sob in front of him but I can't. I can't! I'm so close! Come on! Don't do this to yourself right now! Do not beat yourself! He needs to hear this! He needs to know!

I take a big, gulping breath. "Naruto, I am your mother!"

His blue eyes, so reminiscent of Minato, widen.

I hear Anko audibly gasp upon hearing that, and she puts her hands in front of her mouth.

Naruto and I stare at each other, and I blink away as many tears as possible. I can't have my vision blur. Not right now. I have to see my son as clearly as possible.

"W-What?" Naruto finally asks me.

I can't stand up anymore. I can't. I've already been leaning on the entrance to this room for support, and I just fall to my knees. "Naruto, I'm your mother. My name is Kushina Uzumaki. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

Please, Naruto. Please let there be forgiveness in your heart. Please don't hate me. Please don't yell at me. I know I deserve it but please don't. I just want to show you how much I love you, the spitting image of the man I loved and married.

Please. Please.

Naruto takes one hesitant step forward. "Are you . . .? You can't . . . I thought . . . I thought . . ."

"Naruto, I love you! I'm sorry! I'm here for you now! Count on it! I won't do this to you ever again!"

The words just come out of me in a flood, choked up and blubbering and sobbing. I can't hold myself together any longer. Not in front of him. Not in front of my only child. The only thing I have left of Minato, the only person in this entire village who I can legitimately say is part of my family. It's so clear to me how empty I have made my life, without him, without this village, without _people_.

I reach my left hand out to him. He's so close. Almost close enough for me to touch him. Please, Naruto. Just a bit closer.

I can barely choke out the next few words. It sounds more like air than my voice. "I love you."

Tears are appearing in Naruto's eyes. He knows, somehow. He knows I'm not lying. He knows this is not a cruel trick, not that I would ever play one on him anyway. "Where . . . where have you been . . . Mom . . ."

"Please come here. Please come here." His small hands reach out and touch, and then hold, my left hand. Feeling his warm, soft hands for the first time in my entire life finally gives me the strength to reach for him and draw him towards me and wrap him in a tight embrace.

"I'm here. I'm here, Naruto. I love you. I love you so much."

"What did I do?" Naruto finally asks me, his voice muffled due to his head being on my shoulder. "Mom, did I do something wrong? Did I make you go away?"

Does he really blame himself? Really? Does he think it's his own fault I haven't been there for him, or his father? Is that how he feels?

No, no, he can't feel that way. It's not his fault at all. He was just a baby! He never did anything to deserve this loneliness and abandonment! Not when he was just a baby!

"It's not your fault," I tell him. "It's not your fault. It's _never _been your fault, Naruto."

I hold him even tighter and kiss him on the top of his head. I can't say anything else. I just can't. Nothing can accurately explain how I feel or why I left him behind. It's just become so clear, so obvious, that what I had done was do something so completely _asinine_and left Naruto lonely and without anyone who cared for him or gave Naruto a purpose.

All he had was a teenage girl named Anko and that was by luck.

Just like after I had attacked Konoha, those same four words pop into my head. _What have I done_?

Except I have full awareness this time. I abandoned my son. That's exactly what I did.

"Why?" Naruto finally asks. "Why haven't you been here? Everyone acts like you're _dead_."

He does not dance around the question. It's clear that being blunt and to-the-point is in his nature. It's admirable, and also disconcerting. I don't know what's the best answer to give him, but to answer wrongly is risking losing my son all over again.

Everything he feels is justified. It _was _abandonment. It was . . .

"It's my fault," I finally say. "I made a _big _mistake, and . . . and I thought I should leave. Please, Naruto. Please forgive me. I just want you . . . I just . . ."

And then the entire moment is shattered like a dream. A new, male voice from behind us.

"Mikoto Uchiha! Mikoto Uchiha! I was told you might be here! Mikoto Uchiha!"

"Yes, I'm here!"

I turn around, still holding Naruto with my hands, and I see Mikoto Uchiha, her eyes wide with surprise, staring at a Leaf jonin.

The Leaf jonin began speaking. "Mikoto Uchiha, something horrible has happened to the Uchiha clan! They've all been . . ."

He turns, and he sees me and Naruto. "Holy . . . Lady Kushina? You've returned?"

Mikoto, however, isn't having any of the jonin's attention deficiencies. She walks right up to the jonin, grabs him by his flak vest's collar, and pulls him right in front of her face. "Don't do this to me! What happened? What happened to my _family_? Answer me!"

"The Uchiha clan . . . they're all . . . they were all killed!" the jonin says.

Mikoto's eyes widen to the point where they nearly eject from their sockets. Her voice becomes soft, so soft it is almost air with a slight accent of her voice. "No. No. No. No way. It can't. No. No."

She charges out of sight, knocking the jonin out of her way and into the wall. I immediately let go of Naruto and run to the edge of the hallway, just to see Mikoto about to exit the apartment.

In desperation, I yell at her. "Mikoto! Stop! It's too dangerous! Don't go!"

She stops, just for a second, and then turns and looks at me.

Her face looks like it's going to crack and shatter. Her lips are trembling, her eyes are twitching and on the verge of misting over, and her body is shaking like she has been drenched in freezing water. "I-Itachi . . . S-Sasuke . . . I . . . I can't . . . I can't stay!"

And then she's gone, vanishing into the night.

"I'll catch up to her!" the male jonin yells and he leaps over Anko's sofa and follows Mikoto outside.

I feel someone tugging on my clothes and I turn and see Naruto there, his free hand wiping his eyes. "Please don't go. Not again, Mom. Please."

Immediately, I have an impossible choice. I know full well why Naruto is asking me this. I have only just returned to him, and his fear is justified and genuine. What if I really don't come back? What if I die or decide to vanish again? What would _that_mean?

But at the same time, Mikoto is my friend. My childhood friend. She came all the way out despite being a civilian, despite the risk, to find me and bring me back here. She saved Naruto during my rampage back in Konoha, and risked her own demise to snap me out of my rage and to seize control of my body back.

I can't just let her face whatever's slaughtered her family alone.

But then Anko appears. She looks stunned, like what just happened hasn't fully registered to her, but her voice is strong. "Go."

"What?" I ask. "Really?"

"She's your friend, isn't she? Go. Help her. I'll keep Naruto safe."

She walks over to Naruto and places her hand on his shoulder. Naruto immediately protests. "Anko, no! Not again! I don't want to be alone again!"

"You're not alone," Anko says softly. "Remember? Soul siblings. United against the world. Together forever."

"Together forever," Naruto repeats, his voice soft, losing some of the brash tone he seems to have.

I know that's not good enough though. Not for Naruto. Not now.

I bend down to his level and put my hand on his face and stroke it, including on those whisker-like hairs he has on his cheeks. "Naruto. I'm not going anywhere, all right? I will return. I'm not leaving you. As long as you're here, I will be here too. All right?"

Naruto's eyes are clearly watering, but Anko squeezes his shoulder and Naruto manages to nod, but as he blinks a tear rubs down his cheek and drips into my hand. I take my hand off his cheek, and I can't help but stare at the tear as it continues to run down my hand. When it finally reaches my palm, I make my hand become a fist, keeping it locked nice and tight. It will dry, but it will be a part of me. A reminder of the promise I am making.

"I will not abandon you. Either of you," I say. "Anko, thank you for taking care of Naruto. Please watch him just a little longer."

Anko seems surprised I'm including her. She shouldn't be. Being a caring figure in my son's life so he wouldn't be alone is more than worth any price of inclusion, regardless of her actually being related by bloodline to Naruto or I.

"A-All right," Anko is able to stammer out.

"Stay right here. I will be back," I say, and then I begin running out the door, and then I jump on the roof and begin traveling through the village, heading right for the Uchiha enclave in one of the corners of Konoha.

I may be running, but I'm not going to run away. Not this time.

I'm going to run _towards _something.

Towards my old friend Mikoto and whatever she is about to face.

But not just for her. Naruto too.

I won't run away from him ever again, or my village, or from the people I know.

It's no longer an option.

And, as it's clear now, it never _should _have been an option.

I've had enough of running away.


	4. Massacre's Shadow

SunniHarvest: Ha, thanks for the feedback. I'm hoping I'm not making you wallow in the pits TOO much, but I do think Kushina has every right to angst and question what she's doing. And don't worry about the reunion. Chapter Five is all about the reunion, unbroken up by any massacres or tragedy. But the point of chapter four is to display a very important difference between canon and this story.

imsabbel: You'll find out whether Sasuke is dead or not in chapter four. XD I don't read a ton of Naruto fanfiction, I'm very choosy about what I read, so I'm unaware of trends in a lot of Naruto fanfic, but I'm glad that Anko comes off as being in-character to you. I wanted to show Anko's more caring side in this fic as it just felt natural this way.

Guest: Thank you very much! I was hoping they came off as adorable. XD

Patriot-112: Thank you for reading, hope this chapter is good as well.

Chapters 1-5 form a "prologue arc" of sorts. After chapter five, the fic will reflect the summary, I promise. XD

BTW, make sure you check out Toonami every Saturday night at 12:30 a.m. Uncut Naruto, baby.

* * *

**Chapter Four: Massacre's Shadow**

I search through my memory as I charge through the rooftops, trying to remember where Mikoto lives. I can't believe the whole clan would just get _massacred_. Literally right now. It didn't make sense. It would take a small army to kill every Uchiha at the _exact same time_.

Why now? Why when I come home? Why right as I finally see Naruto again? Why the clan that my closest friend belongs to? It just seems to be a scheme timed specifically to hurt _me_.

I hear a voice behind me. Familiar, and casual, as always. "Looking for Mikoto Uchiha's residence, Kushina Uzumaki?"

I turn around to see Kakashi Hatake, most of his face covered as usual and his left eye covered by the unorthodox way he wore his forehead protector. His silver hair seems to shine, just a bit, in the moonlight.

"Yes, Kakashi. Mikoto just ran off. I need to find her," I say.

Kakashi sighs as he walks to my side on the roof. "You wouldn't know this, not unless Mikoto told you so, but the Uchiha clan was isolated to a corner of the village."

"What? Why?"

It's hard to discern Kakashi's emotions because he hides so much of his face, but his voice has enough gravity to tell me enough. "The chief of the ANBU Black Ops, Danzo Shimura, claimed that the Uchiha clan were becoming a threat, or at least potentially rebellious. He strongly recommended that the Uchihas be isolated from the rest of the village, and the council agreed with his assessment. The tipping point for Danzo's argument was when Danzo pointed out that Uchiha clan medics restored you to health at the instruction of Mikoto Uchiha right after your rampage."

The news was stunning enough. But hearing of what Danzo had done, smearing my name and my actions just to isolate people he had a bias against? Despicible. But that is standard operating procedure for Danzo Shimura. He does whatever it takes to get the results he wants.

And, once again, the entire thing is my fault.

I had run away and _let _this all happen. I let my closest friend's entire clan be blacklisted and become outcasts in their own village. All because Mikoto was kind to me that night. Bringing Naruto back to the village, and taking it upon herself to get the Uchiha clan to heal me before I bled to death after reverting back . . .

I can't even cry over hearing this news. This just makes me want to punch something.

"So they got treated like pariahs because they saved my life," I say.

"If you don't believe they're guilty of treason, yes," Kakashi replies.

And that basically made the Uchiha clan easy to wipe out, if they were all grouped together in a tiny little enclave.

Which is what apparently just happened.

Mikoto pops into my mind. I just met her again. And I know she's running into danger, using her rusty skills to try to get there at fast as she can. She has a head start and knows _exactly _where she's going, too. She'll get there before me just because of familiarity.

Unless . . .

I look at Kakashi. "Mikoto Uchiha is running into certain danger. I _have _to beat her to the Uchiha enclave. Please show me the way."

"I don't know . . ." Kakashi scratches the back of his head, and it's frustratingly clear that he's as much of an enigma now as he was eight years ago.

"She is my closest friend and the only reason she is still alive is because she came to get _me_ and bring me back here," I say. "I am _not _losing her now. Now either you help me or I'm going to charge all over this village until I find wherever the Uchiha clan is living."

Kakashi's voice gets both more concerned and darker at the same time. The way Kakashi is able to change the mood of his voice without altering much of his tone is something to behold. It adds to the mystery behind the man. "Are you _sure _you want to do this? I would bet that Naruto needs you right now, Kushina. You've probably re-entered his life considering I saw you exit his and Anko's apartment."

"And I'm not having Mikoto exit my life permanently," I reply.

I've had enough of this conversation. I can't stand around any longer while Mikoto is running towards possible death. I crouch, just enough, ready to take off towards the perimeter of the village.

If the Uchihas live in an isolated part of the village, it has to be on the perimeter. That's the easiest and most logical place to isolate a large group of people you don't like but can't legally imprison. I'll circle the whole damn village until I find it.

But as I'm about to leap away, I hear Kakashi. "All right. I'll lead you there. I was just making sure that this is what you wanted, that's all."

"This _is _what I want. I want to make sure my friend stays alive," I reply.

Kakashi nods. "And that is an honorable reason."

He crouches, but in the opposite direction of mine. Looks like I was about to go in the wrong direction. "Stay behind me. I don't know who did this, but they could come after _you _too if they know you're here, Kushina. Be ready for anything."

"I will be," I reply. "Let's just go."

Kakashi nods, and then he jumps to the next rooftop. The man is impressively athletic, a true acrobat. I can't help but admire his agility.

I follow him from the roofs, making sure I don't outpace him. I've spent years honing my abilities by myself, but the roofs are unfamiliar environments compared to the forest I've lived in. I wish I can say I know Konoha like the back of my hand, but after spending eight years out of the village, I no longer do.

That reminds me of my own fighting skills. I've practiced for so long, but I've had virtually no opponents. Would I be able to fight for real, if it came down to that?

If no violence happens to me tonight, I need to find a sparring partner for a few rounds, just to make sure. I don't know who is willing to spar with a jinchuuriki, but I need to know if I've trained properly at all for fighting a real opponent. Might Guy being taken off guard is _not _enough to tell me by itself.

Suddenly, there's a group of buildings, and even from a block away, I can smell blood. Lots of it. If I can smell it from _this _distance . . .

I want to gag. The Nine-Tails seems to salivate. I shake it off mentally as Kakashi stops on the edge of what had to be the Uchiha complexes. I am _not _having a repeat of eight years ago. Not here. Not now. Not in front of all these people.

The whole place is deserted, other than a few jonin who have arrived on the scene, checking several dead bodies lying strewn in the open. Most look like their throats have been slashed or were slashed across the chest or gut. They were killed quickly, and most appeared to not have a weapon ready. Either they were civilians, or the killer had been so _fast _that they weren't able to defend themselves in time.

The thought that the killer could be so fast immediately made my hands tremble and I clenched them into fist so Kakashi's lone exposed eye wouldn't see. The killer would undoubtedly be faster than _me_, too. I have to be careful. Listen . . . and be extremely cautious.

Then, as I begin to listen, I can hear Mikoto. "Sasuke! Sasuke!"

She sounds like she's about to run out of breath and out of will. Nothing but despair is in her voice, not even the edge of desperation. She is blubbering as she is wailing.

She's coming . . .

From the middle of the complex. Just beyond the second row of buildings.

"I've found Mikoto," I tell Kakashi, and immediately make the leap down to the ground level.

I sprint straight ahead, jump as high as I can, grab the edge of the roof with my hands and flip myself back up to the roof. The roof proves slippier than I anticipated and I nearly fall backwards back on the ground, but instead I manage to put one hand down to keep myself from slipping off.

"Sasuke! _Sasuke_!"

Mikoto is about to collapse. I can hear it in her voice. Was that what I sounded like to her eight years ago? So broken and despairing and forsaken?

I have to get to her. Before whoever did this, if he's still here, decides to finish the job.

I scramble up the roof and then down the other side, and I see Mikoto swaying back and forth, her hands and arms limp at her side, her legs stumbling and shaking.

The sound of collapse in her voice, still wailing and moaning for her youngest son Sasuke, can't even begin to describe how completely _lost _she looks. Everything, from her hair to her clothing, is completely disheveled and out of place, and she looks like she's fallen down more than once considering the dirt on her face and clothing.

I don't know if I'll scare her, but I need to get by her _now_. I jump down from the roof right in front of her, and Mikoto shrieks and falls backwards.

"Mikoto, it's me! Kushina!" I shout.

"K-Kushina?" Mikoto asks, her eyes still wide in terror.

I walk right up to her. She hasn't offered her hand, but I reach down, grab her left hand, and pull her to her feet immediately. She instantly slumps forward and collapses into my left shoulder. "Sasuke . . . Sasuke . . ."

"I'll find Sasuke," I reply, in the most soothing tone I can manage. "What about Fugaku? Itachi?"

"Fugaku . . . h-he's dead, at the entrance . . . he w-was probably the _first_," Mikoto replies, her voice soft and tender.

Fugaku Uchiha had been the head of the clan. If even _he_ couldn't fight off the killer, and was the first to die, that didn't bode well for either of Mikoto's children, but I couldn't say that to her. Her two sons _had _to be safe.

"What about Itachi? Your oldest son?" I ask.

"I-Itachi?" Mikoto's voice suddenly gets edgy and stressed.

"Yes, Itachi. Have you found him yet? Has _anyone _found him?"

"I . . . I . . . uh . . . buh . . ." Mikoto's body suddenly shakes violently in my arms, and it takes all of my strength to keep her from completely collapsing in her convulsion.

"I-It was Itachi! I saw him! _Itachi _did this!" Mikoto finally wails.

"_What_?" This made no sense! Itachi was Mikoto's oldest son! Why would he do this? Slaughter his entire clan? It just didn't add up! It was impossible!

Footsteps from behind me, and I look behind to see Kakashi and one of the kunoichi, who I recognize as Kurenai Yuhi, both run up to me.

Kurenai's eyes widen. "You weren't kidding when you said Kushina has returned, Kakashi."

I am not in the mood for greetings right now. Blame this on my childhood-era bluntness and rudeness, but all I can think about is Mokoto and her family. "Kakashi, Kurenai, tell me what the _hell _is going on! Did Itachi really do this?"

"Uh . . ." Kakashi looked completely clueless despite so little of his face being visible.

But Kurenai was not. "I just heard the news myself. Danzo Shimura has deployed the ANBU into the area surrounding the village to search for Itachi. They're blaming him and him alone for slaughtering the Uchiha clan."

"Why would Itachi do this? It doesn't make sense! Why would he kill his own father, much less his entire clan?"

As I ask this, Mikoto slips from my grip and she falls to her knees, her hands over her face, sobbing loudly. I bend down to Mikoto's level. "Mikoto! Mikoto!"

Mikoto just responds by screaming, whether in anger, or despair, I can't tell.

Other jonin have arrived, and two of them bend down with me by Mikoto. One of them throws a white blanket around Mikoto. She doesn't seem to register any of this, her face remains hidden behind her hands.

Mikoto's shutting down. I need to find a survivor, _any _survivor, before Mikoto just gives up on everything.

I look back at Kurenai and Kakashi. "Can either of you explain what Itachi could've been doing?"

Kakashi answers. "Itachi had become estranged from the clan, he had joined the ANBU. That's all I know."

Kurenai joins in. "Oh right, you wouldn't know any of this, Kushina. I think that Sasuke was being trained to be the Uchiha successor instead of Itachi because of the rift that grew between the Uchihas and the rest of Konoha. Itachi joining the ANBU didn't make Fugaku pleased at all."

"_Sasuke_!" Mikoto shrieks, and I spin back around just in time to see Mikoto squirm away from the other two jonin and run off towards what looked like the main building in the complex right down the road.

Kurenai immediately springs to action. "Everyone, stop her! Get her secure!"

Mikoto, the way she is right now, she'll resist anyone who isn't me. I _have _to get to her first.

I immediately begin sprinting after her, and overtake the two jonin who had been by her. I keep hearing Mikoto scream Sasuke's name as she runs to the main building, and I tackle her to the ground.

"_Let go of me_!" Mikoto shrieks as she squirms in my arms. "I have to find Sasuke! _Sasuke_!"

"I am not letting you go in there! We don't know if Itachi is still here!" I shout back. "It's too dangerous!"

I manage to get Mikoto to sit up. "You are all that's left until we find another survivor. You _need _to stay by the jonin! Where it's safe!"

"There is no safety," Mikoto chokes out. "There isn't. Everyone is _dead _j-just like D-Danzo wants."

"Mikoto, look at me! You can't shut down on me!" I lift Mikoto's chin up in front of me, and our eyes meet, just for a moment. She looks completely broken, like she's drifting into another world. "Mikoto, I can't have you running into danger!"

"Kushina . . . all that's left is Sasuke . . . please help him."

"Sasuke?" He's still alive? Really? Why does Mikoto think so?

What should I . . . I have to help him, shouldn't I? Mikoto can't help him, not like this. If there's any chance that Sasuke is still alive . . .

It takes me a moment to realize I've let go of Mikoto. She burying her head in her hands and is sobbing all over again.

I look at the main building. This has to be Mikoto and Fugaku's home. If Sasuke is anywhere, dead or alive, he's in _there_.

Mikoto was brave enough to save Naruto, including a massacre that included my husband and ANBU as casualties. Now, eight years later, it's Sasuke who may or may not be dead, and we have traded positions. I have to be brave for Mikoto. If she can walk through a forest of death alone for Naruto, as an ordinary woman, and find my son and rescue him, I should do the same for her.

In any case, I need to do this alone. All of my training, all of my timing, is based off of me being alone. I need to practice working with others to get all that back. This is _not _the time and place to do it.

By this point, the jonin who I had left behind have caught up to us. I look at them, forcing all of my focus on the immediate issue. "Has Sasuke been confirmed among the dead?"

"No, not to my knowledge," Kurenai replies.

"I believe this is Mikoto's home. Sasuke is most likely inside somewhere. You, Kakashi, and those two jonin I don't know keep Mikoto protected until reinforcements arrive. Itachi or an accomplice could still be around waiting to kill her. I'll go and search the building for Sasuke," I reply.

Kurenai's eyes widen. "Since when do you have the right to give us orders, or to just haphazardly search for someone? I didn't even know you were back until I literally just saw you, Kushina!"

"Eight years ago, Mikoto brought me my son and stopped me from destroying Konoha," I reply. "I will bring Mikoto's son to her myself regardless of Sasuke's fate. I think I have _that _right."

"You are a _jinchuuriki_!" Kurenai yells back.

"That's why _I'm _the one who has to go in there! I can do things no one else can!"

"You must be joking!" Kurenai's eyes are wide with disbelief. "You have a lot to answer for, Kushina! You _really _think we'll just let you go inside alone?"

I stand up. "I _do_ have a lot to answer for, but I _have_ to find Mikoto's son. She rescued _my_ son eight years ago. I have to at least _try _to save Sasuke. She is the closest friend I have ever had, and she just came back from a long journey to find me. You won't tell me that I can't try to find her son!"

Kurenai stares at me in amazement.

"And yes, I need to go in there alone. We can't risk Mikoto being killed, and I don't know what's taking reinforcements so long to get here. _Someone _needs to find Sasuke, but at the same time, most of us have to watch every possible angle to make sure Mikoto stays safe. Don't any of you understand that?"

Kakashi finally walks forward. "We'll keep Mikoto safe. But the moment reinforcements show up, we _will _be following you inside."

"Thank you," I say to Kakashi. I feel nothing but relief that the argument is finally over.

I walk over to Mikoto, who is just sitting on the ground, staring into space. "Mikoto, where would Sasuke be inside that building?"

"It doesn't matter," Mikoto moans.

"It does matter. Sasuke could be hiding in there somewhere! Please, tell me where he would be!" I grab Mikoto's shoulders. "Don't shut down on me! Come on, Mikoto, think! Where would he be?"

"To . . . to . . . to the left . . ." Mikoto finally replies.

I'm not going to get much more out of her. She is clearly lost in her own world of despair, and nothing is going to jar her out of it. Not right now. At least this provides me a place to start.

Please, let Sasuke still be alive somewhere, somehow, in there. For Mikoto's sake.

"I'm going in. Keep her safe, _please_," I say, and I take off, sprinting for the entrance, which opens with ease.

The whole building is dark. As dark as the forest I lived in late at night.

I've spent too many nights in darkness to fear it. This is nothing new. The only thing to fear is what could be _hidden _within the darkness. Very different than the darkness itself.

I take a deep breath, and force myself to focus. _Sasuke. Sasuke_.

Then I walk inside.

* * *

Be slow and cautious. Listen. Listen for anything that signals you're not alone. If anyone malicious is hiding in this darkness, he probably already knows you're here. There's no need to be stealthy. Just be listening. And waiting.

"Sasuke!" I call out. "Sasuke, if you're listening, please respond some way! I'm your mother's friend! I'm here to help you!"

Silence.

I have kunai drawn and ready to either throw or stab at a moment's notice. Perhaps it's my nerves, but I _know _someone else is here, alive, and it may not be Sasuke.

I hear the Nine-Tails chuckling again, and I force myself to block out the fox demon's voice. I can't have a single, solitary distraction.

I slide open another door, and there is yet another dark room. Should I draw on the Nine-Tails' power, even if it's just to enhance my night vision?

No, bad idea. I haven't drawn on the Nine-Tails ever since my assault on Konoha. I doubt I can demonstrate the control needed to do something so subtle.

Just focus. That's what you need to do. Focus.

Listen.

I smell something that seems vaguely of sweat and blood. Could it be Sasuke?

Keep walking gingerly. Be ready for anything from any angle or corner. Keep it slow. Keep listening.

A soft _swish _sound, like a padded foot on the wall to the bottom-right corner of the room.

I'm not alone here. And the person in this room with me is _not _friendly.

I'll hit the opponent easier with my left. I subtly shift my left hand into a position ready to throw the kunai it's holding with less than a moment's notice. I can't tip the intruder off that I'm onto him. I want this fight on my own terms, when _I _have the element of surprise.

Could it be Itachi? Or an accomplice? Or someone else altogether?

I keep one eye peeled for a immediate reaction to any assault by the intruder. I keep the other eye looking for anything in my room.

And then I see it. A child's body, wrapped in a gray robe, lying completely unconscious.

It has to be Sasuke.

My right eye focuses on his small form, and as I keep listening for the intruder to move, I listen to Sasuke at the same time. For something, _anything _resembling life.

I can just make it out. The sound of Sasuke exhaling. He's breathing. I can't hear him inhale, but after hearing him breathe out multiple times, there's no doubt he's still alive. Perhaps he's even stable, I don't hear anything abnormal about Sasuke's breathing, nothing to suggest he has a life-threatening injury.

But there's no time to relax, or to thank my blessings. I am not alone in here. Ironically, this is the very same reason I wished to come in here alone in the first place.

Listening to a partner's breathing, footsteps, hand motions, clothing, much less a partner's words, I would not have heard the intruder when I entered this room. And then the intruder truly would have gotten the jump on me whenever he felt like it.

I listen for the intruder. He still is not reacting. Perhaps he is waiting for me to do something.

I decide to prod the intruder. There is no way I'm taking Sasuke out of here without fighting the bastard. Might as well be now.

My heart pounds against my chest as I stop moving. My grip on my kunai in _both _hands tighten further. I swallow the spit in my mouth, and take a soft, deep breath.

Naruto, I promised I will come back to you. Just wait a little longer. I will not die here.

"Sasuke!" I shout all of a sudden, as if I'm stunned to recognize him.

Then I hear it. A soft _pop_, and then a _whoosh_.

I spin around and let the blow dart fly past my head to the right, and it makes a soft _thunk _as it instead sticks to the wall behind me.

But that's not all I do. As I spin around, I throw my kunai at the intruder, and I _just _see a silhouette of a short metallic blade appear in time to deflect it and send the kunai flipping end over end into the ceiling.

This intruder is an elite fighter.

The intruder begins moving, as if he's a living shadow. I can just see him moving his hand to his face, and then he pulls down a mask over his head, before stepping into the slightly _less _dark center of the room.

I recognize who the shadow is immediately thanks to the mask.

ANBU.

"Is that you, Itachi?" I ask the shadow.

The shadow does not answer, and instead he pulls out _another_short blade. He's come with two long knives.

"I have spent eight years in exile, nearly all of them training relentlessly physically _and_ mentally. I am not going to die to a damn _blow dart_," I say, seeing if goading him on will provoke a reaction.

None, other than the shadow readying himself into a fighting stance.

One last thing, then.

"You _are _aware I am a jinchuuriki," I say. "I hold the power of the Nine-Tails inside me. You won't win."

Nothing, other than the shadow seeming to tense up, just a bit, just waiting to lunge forward.

Should I try ninjutsu or go with taijutsu? I don't know any effective genjutsu, and all members of the ANBU Black Ops are trained to resist genjutsu, though they're not infallible.

Taijutsu. That way I can take him alive. Especially if this _is _Itachi.

And then he comes.

It's as if he's taken flight, he's so fast.

I step to my right, and let him charge past me. Just as he lands, pivoting his left foot to try to spin himself around, I throw my other kunai at that very same foot.

It connects.

The shadow grunts in pain and stumbles, falling on one knee.

I run forward. He still has blades. I can only do this while he's off balance or this is suicide.

The shadow looks up at me while I'm coming at him. He readies his blades and prepares to stab me as I come forward, but I'm too fast. I grab both of his arms with my hands and prevent him from getting his blades remotely close to my body.

The shadow begins to move. He's got a counterattack planned and I see it coming too late. His right foot, which is still healthy, lashes out from my left and I feel a massive force strike me in the left. It's fierce enough that I not only lose my grip on the shadow's arms, but that my feet leave the ground.

The whole world spirals out of control as I fly through the air and hit the ground. I look up to see the shadow reach down with his left hand, still holding his sword, and with just a finger or two, pull the kunai out of his foot, and tosses it aside. I'm surprised he didn't throw it at me, but he seemed reluctant to let go of his long knife, and he wasn't going to have any accuracy or power throwing that kunai with just one or two fingers.

Maybe some ninjutsu is a good idea after all.

I need to restrain him or at least slow him down. I build the chakra inside me. I don't know when the shadow's going after Sasuke, so the sooner this fight is over, the better.

"Chakra Chains Technique!" I fire out several glowing chains out of my body, fueled by my chakra, right at the shadow.

He sees it coming like I'm attacking from a mile away. He leaps aside several feet to the left, causing even the most leftward chain to fly right by him, and he begins charging.

Having the chains chase after him is futile. They won't catch him before the shadow can stab me. Immediately, I disengage the chain, and draw on more chakra. I have a lot of chakra reserves, partially due to my Uzumaki bloodline, and partially due to being a jinchuuriki, and I have just one opponent. Being stingy is not recommended.

Tactic number two. I've never tried this before in a combat situation, but unlike my imperfect Rasengan, I think I have this ninjutsu downpat. It helps that I had a book on Wind Affinity ninjutsu to study for years and years.

I reach inside myself and yank out as much chakra as I can that wouldn't involve blowing the whole building down with my opponent. I feel a massive force grow in my lungs, and I prepare myself.

"Wind Style, Air Bullets Technique!"

I fire several quick shots of pure air out of my mouth and right at the shadow. He's fast, but he's gotten so close that he can't hope to dodge them all, and after running to my left in an effort to avoid them, I adjust my stance and my angle just enough that he runs right into one of my bullets and is staggered.

The rest is predictable.

He's hit over and over and _over_, driven back into the wall, and I aim my last bullet at one of his hands and knock one of his long knives out of his right hand, sending it spiraling somewhere. For the first time, I hear his deep, rough voice, growling in pain as he shakes his right hand. I can hear something crack, even from my position. I broke a finger or worse with _that _shot.

I still don't want to kill the shadow. I just want to knock him unconscious. He has some _serious _explaining to do once this is over.

I see an attack angle that involves my kunai pinned to the roof. I run to the left, jump, and yank the kunai out of the ceiling. The shadow prepares his remaining long knife, clearly intending to block a kunai throw.

His damaged left hand reaches into a pocket and I see a kunai coming my way just in time to barely dodge it, though I feel it brush through my hair. The injury to his hand is messing with his aim or his release, and that may have saved my life or at least prevented a serious injury.

I can't take another reckless chance. It's time to end this.

A trickery idea pops into my brain as I'm about to attack, and I execute it. I fake throwing the kunai with my right hand, and as he moves his long knife to block a throw that never comes, I pass the kunai to my left hand.

And then I make a shoveling motion, underhanded, and send the kunai into an unprotected section of the shadow's midsection. Just missing his armor.

His grunt of pain, and the staggered motion he makes, tells me everything.

I run forward before he can defend himself and get in close range. I grab his left hand and roughly twist his hand with my right hand, and I hear a resounding _cling_ around with a sickening _crack_, followed by a short yelp of pain from behind the shadow's mask. I win.

Then a _massive _force in my waist tells me the inconvenient truth: I haven't.

He's kneed me in the abdomen.

Can't breathe. Can't breathe. Damn it.

I feel something _heavy_ hit my head, and then all I can see are bright, blinking lights interspersed with dark spots, and I faintly feel my hands hitting the floor. The shadow hits _hard_.

I look up, and see through the dark spots and bright lights that he's going to attack me again. I generate my chakra to force air through my lungs. I can't fight this way, with the wind literally knocked out of me.

He's wounded. He can't keep this up for much longer either. It's clear, though, that harming Sasuke is not part of his itinerary. If he was going to harm Sasuke, he would have. Instead, Sasuke was pure bait, probably to lure Mikoto in and murder her. And I spoiled that plan by barging in here ahead of her.

It's also clear that the shadow is _not _Itachi. I know Uchiha powers. He would have used a Sharingan by now if he was Itachi, or attempted to hit me with some fire elemental attack. He was doing none of those things.

I feel a rush of air rush through my lungs thanks to my chakra, and I gasp for air. I can only generate enough air to fire a single air bullet, but that's all I need. Especially at this close range.

"Wind Style! Air Bullets Technique!" I gasp out, and then fire my lone, solitary bullet right at his waist.

He groans and hunches over, and I force myself to get to my knees. I take my left hand and give him an uppercut to the bottom, unprotected, part of his jaw, staggering him upright, and partially dislodging the mask he's wearing.

I force myself to my feet as the shadow begins to fall backwards. "Chakra Chains Technique!"

I fire the chains again and this time they connect. They wrap themselves around him and he falls to the floor, helpless at long last.

I fall to my knees, not only to interrogate the shadow, but out of exhaustion. This is why solitary training can only go so far. If a couple more things had not gone my way, I'd be dead or at least far worse off injury-wise than I am now.

"All right," I say, aiming to grab the shadow's hair and pull him directly in front of my face. "Start talking. _Now_."

But just as my hand was about to touch his head, blue flames shoot out across his body and I have no choice but to pull my hand away.

It's the Body Elimination Technique. The shadow is immolating himself to prevent me from not only interrogating him, but to keep me from finding out any other information that could be found on his body.

From the moment the blue flames engulf his body, there is nothing I can do to stop it or prevent it.

The shadow is dead.

And with him goes any concrete explanation on what happened here tonight.

I withdraw my chakra chains. There's no point in wasting chakra to restrain _ash_. Damn it! All of this effort and fighting and it means _nothing_!

No. No, don't think that. Sasuke. Think about Sasuke.

I turn around, and look at Sasuke's prone form. Regardless of whether the shadow had intended to kill Sasuke or not, the fact of the matter is that I saved him, and I'm going to bring him back to Mikoto. That's what matters. That's what counts.

Just as I stand up to go collect him, I hear movement behind me. I spin back around, summoning more chakra, preparing to launch my Chakra Chains right at the new intruder. But as I turn around, even in this darkness, I can tell it's Kakashi Hatake.

I stop the chakra summoning immediately and force myself to relax. "You came here kind of late."

Kakashi chuckles. "Oh no. I was watching the majority of the fight. I didn't know you were capable of subduing a member of the ANBU Black Ops."

I am sure Kakashi intended to compliment me, but the implication of his words just pisses me off. "You were _watching_me fight for my life, Kakashi?"

Kakashi's voice switches from congratulatory to more serious as he enters the room, his head turned to look at the ash of what had been the shadow. "No. I intended the step in the moment I thought you were in trouble. When the operative kneed you in the stomach and kicked you in the head I was about to attack, but you recovered so _quickly_. You're honestly an impressive fighter, Kushina."

"Not impressive enough," I say, looking at the ash. "I couldn't stop the bastard from vaporizing himself."

"It's all right." Kakashi bends down to look at the ash. "This was _not _Itachi." It's clear from his voice that he isn't asking a question.

"He was definitely not. I don't know who he was."

Mikoto's words from outside seem to resonate now more than they did when she said them. That this is what _Danzo _wanted.

"Do you think Danzo was behind all of this?" I ask. "Is this why an ANBU operative was here, waiting to ambush whoever went after Sasuke?"

"I don't know. I wouldn't put it past him. The obvious conclusion is that Itachi recruited this man to wait for Mikoto to murder her, using Sasuke as bait. Which is highly plausible. Itachi _was _a member of ANBU and I doubt he could murder his entire clan alone."

Kakashi sighed. "But Danzo _was _the person most in favor of isolating the Uchiha in the first place, and I could see him as a man capable of orchestrating this and then having someone else taking the fall. All this means is that we have a real mess on our hands."

I look down at the ash one last time, and then look at Sasuke, who has remained in the exact same spot this whole time, completely unconscious, but still breathing. "I don't care who's ultimately responsible for all of this, but I _will _make sure they pay for this. These people saved my life eight years ago, Kakashi. My skin was completely gone when I changed back from a demonic form back to my usual self. They restored it, and their kindness was used to isolate them here where they could be easily exterminated. They didn't deserve this, treachery or no treachery."

I walk over to Sasuke, and scoop him into my arms, making sure to give his neck ample support in case he has a neck injury. He seems heavier than I expected, but perhaps that's just my exhaustion talking. One thing's for sure, he _is _Naruto's age. He's so young.

I can't imagine holding Naruto like this. To even fathom the prospect makes me _furious_. And this just happened to Mikoto.

Unjustifiable. The whole thing. Unjustifiable.

"And what if Mikoto _was _planning treason?" Kakashi asked, his tone curious, quizzical.

"It doesn't change the fact that she's my closest friend. My loyalty is to Konoha, but Mikoto is my best friend. Even if we wound up on opposite sides of a war, I would protect her child. And I am sure she would protect mine."

I walk past Kakashi. "There is nothing else to see here. We need to get outside. Mikoto needs to see her son."

Kakashi sighs. "All right. I'll be just a moment. I'd like to see if there's _anything _left from the ash."

"Do what you want." In all honesty, I think Kakashi just wants to be alone for a moment, lost in his own thoughts. I don't blame him. I want to do the same thing right now.

But I have too much happening right now. Mikoto's son . . . and my own.

I have no time to be lost.

* * *

I walk outside, and I see Asuma Sarutobi, the son of the Third Hokage who predated my husband, has joined Kurenai and the two jonin I don't know with surrounding Mikoto. That explains why Kakashi went inside. We got exactly _one _more person. The lack of spare ninja around here is disconcerting and I don't like it one bit. Especially after what happened inside.

"Did you find Sasuke?" Kurenai asks. Mikoto, for her part, is kneeling down at the ground, her eyes looking down, her whole body subtly trembling.

"Yes. He's right here. He's alive."

That doesn't get an immediate reaction out of Mikoto. Speaking of being lost in her own thoughts . . .

I walk over to her and kneel down in front of her. Finally, she seems to return to the real world. "S-Sasuke?"

"He's alive, Mikoto. He's still alive."

"Oh, Sasuke." Mikoto takes Sasuke from my arms and holds him tightly, and briefly cries into Sasuke's shoulder. She looks up after a moment. "Thank you. Thank you, Kushina."

"You're welcome." I put a hand on Mikoto's shoulder and smile. I can already see that something resembling hope is returning to Mikoto's face. This is what she needs.

"Sasuke is unconscious. Please take him to the hospital, Mikoto. Make sure he's all right."

"O-Okay. I'll do that." Mikoto sniffs a couple of times and she moves her head close to my left arm. "C-Can I wipe my eyes, please?"

"Go ahead." I let Mikoto wipe her eyes on my sleeve.

"I . . . I d-don't know what to say, Kushina," Mikoto says after a moment.

"You don't need to say anything. Just get to the hospital. Make sure Sasuke is okay. I think he's stable, just unconscious, but we have to make sure. Can you do that for me, Mikoto?"

"Okay. Okay. I'll get up and go." Mikoto groans as she gets up. "C-Can I not be alone?"

I look at Asume and Kurenai. "I'm sorry for ordering you earlier, Kurenai. But can you and Asuma please escort Mikoto to the hospital?"

Kurenai's eyes narrow. She's clearly suspicious of my intentions, not that I blame her. Not after I just pop back into her life out of the blue from her perspective. "I still say you have a lot to answer for, Kushina. I assume you will be meeting with Asuma's father soon?"

Asuma looks kind of embarrassed, he quickly lights up a cigarette. "Your father is the Hokage again?" I ask.

"Yes," Asume replies.

Somehow, this doesn't surprise me. Minato was exceptionally young to become Hokage, he was considered to be the top choice among my generation. After Orochimaru disgraced himself, the other two of the three legendary Sannin, Tsunade and Jiraiya, were considered out of the question due to their own character flaws. If Tsunade and Jiraiya were still out of the question, the logical choice would be to ask Asuma's father, Hiruzen Sarutobi, to return as Hokage.

"Please answer my question," Kurenai says.

I look up at the sky. It has to be four in the morning. Eventually, the sun is going to rise. And I haven't had any sleep since the previous night. Trying to function long enough to get through a meeting with Hiruzen Sarutobi, plus a likely grilling from the Konoha Council, is the last thing I want to do.

"I will meet with him the day after tomorrow . . . though I guess 'tomorrow' is a more accurate term at this point, isn't it?" I reply.

Kurenai seems shocked. "Why not? Do you have a place to go?"

The question is so laughable that I can't help but chuckle. Kurenai seems to have forgotten something _very _important. "Yes, I do. My son."

Asuma chuckles. "That makes sense."

Kurenai sighs. "I agree. I apologize. I am sure he wants to see you."

I look in the direction of the apartment Naruto shares with Anko. "I think that's an understatement, Kurenai. I've spent eight years away from him. I think the least I can do is give Naruto an entire day with me. Please tell the Third Hokage to grant me that much."

"I will," Asuma replies.

"And we _will _stay with Mikoto Uchiha," Kurenai adds.

"Thank you. Both of you. I'll see you both later. I am sure I have a _lot _of catching up to do."

I look at Mikoto, who is still standing by us, intently listening. I smile at her again. "Thank you for everything, Mikoto. If you need anything don't hesitate to ask. I will be there."

"Thank you," Mikoto says, her voice finally starting to resemble its usual self, though I don't know if Mikoto will _ever _sound like her old self again.

"You're welcome. I'll see you later, Mikoto." I look over in the direction of Naruto's apartment, and then I take off at a sprint.

I'm finally coming home.


	5. The First Morning

This will be the last week of double updating. I wanted to get the prologue arc posted up on FF ASAP. But after this chapter, the summary of this story finally connects to the actual story itself. Chapter Six takes place at the equivalent of Naruto Episode One.

Enjoy the chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Five: The First Morning**

It's still dark when I find Naruto and Anko's shared apartment. I still see a light on inside. I can't imagine Naruto, being a young child, still having the will to stay awake and wait for me. Children don't have the wherewithal to stay awake for as long as adults can. Their bodies just overwhelm their minds. It's not until their older that they can begin achieving mastery over their bodies' desires. I'm sure Naruto is getting training right now to become a genin eventually. It could even happen next year. But he is still _eight years old_.

I jump towards the building, grab the roof, and then swing down right to the front door. It's uncanny how much I'm looking forward to sleeping. I am sure it will just be on that sofa I saw during my first visit here, I'm not going to make Anko give up her bed to me. But it'll be nice to sleep on actual _cushions_. The cushions I made for myself at the cabin were pathetic and far too thin.

I don't have any other way inside, so I knock on the door three times. It would be hilarious, and sad, if Anko and Naruto had both fallen asleep waiting for me.

"It's me," I say.

Then I hear footsteps. _Somebody _is awake in there.

The door opens, and I don't see Anko. I look down, just a little bit, and then I see my son.

He really stayed awake all this time waiting for me to come back home.

He misses me. He really does. And he believes in me, too. How did I pull that off?

"Naruto," I say.

"Mom!" Naruto runs towards me and I kneel just in time to take Naruto into my arms and hold him tightly.

"I told you," I say. "I told you I would come back."

"Where were you? What were you doing?" Naruto asks me.

"I had to beat up a bad guy who was going after my friend," I say. It's the truth, albeit a simplified version of it, but Naruto doesn't need the darkness and peril that came with my battle.

"Wow! Did you get him?" Naruto asks.

"Yes, I did," I reply. Again, a simplified version of the truth.

"You're awesome," Naruto says.

He separates from me and begins rubbing his eyes. "I was sca . . . er, I wasn't scared, Mom! Yeah, that's what I meant to say. I knew you'd come back! You not going to go away again!"

Naruto doesn't intend to hurt me, but his words still sting, just a little. He's trying so hard to look strong, but underneath his words is a subtle accusation. Inside his head, the doubt had been there whether I would return or not. That I could abandon him again, so soon after briefly coming into his life. I'd be like a ephemeral dream, remembered for a few hours, maybe a few days, but eventually gone. Like fog under the intense sun.

"I'm not going anywhere," I reply.

"You're not?" Naruto asks, his eyes lighting up.

"I'm staying here in Konoha from now on, Naruto. My home is your home."

"R-Really?" Naruto asks me, a wide grin crossing his face.

It's heartening to see Naruto act this way, but on the other, it shows, subtly, how sad his life must have been without me. It's a miracle he was born with so much spirit. So many other kids would have given up on themselves or on the world long ago. But not Naruto.

I see Anko walk up to Naruto and squeeze Naruto's shoulders from behind. "Naruto, what did I say about answering the door at this hour?"

"B-But it was my mom!" Naruto asks Anko.

"It's still dangerous, Naruto. What if it wasn't your mom?" Anko replies.

"Oh. Never thought of that," Naruto replies, his face turning red from embarrassment.

It's a good thing that Naruto is being taught basic security at least. I don't know what to say, though. It occurs to me that I'm _highly _inexperienced at being a mom. I want to make Naruto feel better right now, but at the same time, I don't want to say making a mistake is "okay". What's the best choice?

Please. Let whatever I say be the best choice.

"Naruto, Anko is right, but you were just waiting for me, so I can the behavior can be excused this time. But next time, let Anko open the door. She is much older and is capable of defending herself if someone is aiming to attack you both."

I can only think I could have said that so much better. I don't want to undermine Anko's authority. I don't want to punish Naruto, not after seeing him again for the first time since a newborn. At the same time, Anko's rule for Naruto is a smart one and I don't want to overrule it or make Naruto think that opening doors for _anyone_after a certain hour is suddenly a good thing.

"But you wouldn't attack me," Naruto says. "You're my mom, right?"

That hurt to hear. "No, of course I wouldn't. I'm just saying that it is best to be safe, especially at this late hour, okay?"

"I don't get it, but okay," Naruto says. I can tell he doesn't quite understand, but maybe I can discuss it in more detail after we all sleep.

I bend over and put my hands on Naruto's shoulders. He is so much like Minato, except spunkier and more _wild_. Like he is absolutely brimming with energy and determination. That was something Minato had in him, though Minato was far more subtle about it than Naruto is. I can already tell that.

Looking at him so closely, especially into his blue eyes, so reminiscent of his father, makes my own eyes mist and I force myself to sniff so I can still breathe. I made a big mistake in abandoning him. What a selfish decision by me. I had let my despair, my fear of myself, and fear of retribution overrule my love for my only child.

What a fool I am.

"Mom, are you okay?" Naruto asks, his attention ripped away from security to total concern for me.

"I should have never left you, Naruto," is all I can say.

I hold onto him tight. How he's grown. At least I'll be able to see him grow more. At least he has several more birthdays ahead of him before he becomes an adult. I did not reappear in his life too late to miss _everything_. I'll be here to see him become a genin, or even a chuunin. If I'm right about his determination, maybe he can become a jonin as well. I'm going to be here to see _all _of that.

But I've missed so _much_. Far too much. He needed me all of those years he spent alone. He didn't have Anko here for all of them, and Anko, even though I can already tell she tries hard, she is too young and too inexperienced to be that maternal figure in his life. He couldn't rely on Mikoto either because her clan wouldn't let her. The boy was an outcast, and I was not here to protect him. I can only imagine what names he was called by his peer group, and how the adults, especially those who lost someone because of me, must have treated him.

And yet here he is, with so much spirit.

"Mom, it's okay. You're here now, right? Isn't that what counts?" Naruto asks.

Now that's just like how I was as a kid, always focused on the present, always driving forward.

"Yes," I say. "Now please, go to bed, Naruto. I will be here in the morning, I promise. I'm going to spend all of tomorrow with you, okay?"

"Really?" Naruto asks, those blue eyes lighting with energy again. It seems my encouragement is counterproductive to sleeping. Just like his father in that area, when Minato was particularly inspired. I can remember him staying up far too late trying to perfect his Rasengan already.

"Really. Now go to bed, Naruto. I'll have fresh ramen ready for you when you get up."

"Ramen? You can make ramen?" Naruto asks.

Oh boy, he loves ramen, Minato. You'd be happy about that.

"Yes, I can. I'm a bit out of practice, but I can. Whatever kind of ramen you'd like."

If Naruto was a dog, he'd be drooling.

"Does that sound good, Naruto?"

"Heck yeah! I'm gonna go to bed, Mom! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He takes off at a run and vanishes around the corner.

"Is he always so energetic at night?" I ask Anko.

Anko gives me a wry smile. "You get used to it after a while."

Naruto leans out behind the corner. "Good night, Anko!"

"Good night, Naruto," Anko says, still smiling.

"Together forever?" Naruto asks.

"Together forever," Anko replies.

Naruto vanishes back behind the corner.

"Does he do this a lot?" I ask.

Anko nods. "Mm-hmm."

Naruto's head re-appears around the corner again. "Oh, Mom, I almost forgot!"

"Yes, Naruto?" I ask.

"I love you, Mom! Good night!"

He vanishes around the corner one more time, and I sense it's the last time tonight.

"I love you, Mom". That's the first time I've ever heard those words directed at me. Ever since Naruto learned to talk he should have been saying that to me. I should've been hearing it for all of these years too, instead of putting up with the Nine-Tails laughing at me and insulting me while I was all alone in some forest.

The longer I stay with Naruto, the more obvious it becomes that I made a mistake.

And the more obvious it becomes, the more painful the mistake feels.

As much as being told "I love you, Mom", means to me, I know I have done nothing to deserve it. I just show up, out of nowhere, in the middle of the night, after spending all of Naruto's life being absent, and he _still _says that to me?

Naruto probably doesn't realize how forgiving he is. Or maybe his life has just been so harsh that anything that signals that he is loved instantly earns his gratitude.

I wonder if he will be so forgiving when he gets older. It'll eventually hit him that I've been gone for a _long _time. And he's going to want to know why.

And when he knows, whether it's tomorrow or years down the line, how will he feel? How will he take it? How will he accept that I killed ten people in Konoha and wounded likely dozens of others? How will he live with the knowledge that I have a demon inside me? Will he be so forgiving of me after knowing all of that, or will he still remain the way he is, so spirited, so loyal, so determined and tireless.

He is like a fusion of Minato and I, right down to the boundless energy and the straightforward philosophy that guides him. I just hope he represents the _best_ aspects of us, not the _worst_.

Especially if, someday, I can find no other successor and am forced to give the Nine-Tails to Naruto.

But that won't happen. He's suffered enough already in his short life. The Nine-Tails will not be a burden he will have to bear. I'll do whatever it takes to keep that from happening.

I'll sooner die than make Naruto live with my curse.

Anko starts talking then. "It's okay. Naruto goes out like a light when he's determined to fall asleep."

"That doesn't surprise me," I reply.

Anko walks to the kitchen, switches that light off, and then walks back into this room and dims the pair of corner lights one at a time. "I admire that about him sometimes. He just ends the day, acting like he has no regrets, and starts the next day like it's brand new. He lives in the present a lot, probably _too _much, you know?"

"I can imagine," I say.

Anko flops on the couch with a sigh. "I'm so tired. But Naruto wouldn't go to bed. I'm not gonna go asleep when Naruto's still awake."

"Sorry about denying you your 'beauty rest'," I reply.

Anko just laughs. "My beauty rest is nothing compared to Naruto."

She folds her hands in front of her, and her smile fades, ever so slowly. Her voice takes on a soft, lonesome tone, like she has a weight on her heart that she just can't shake. "You're probably planning on living with Naruto now, aren't you? You _are _his mom."

"Yes, I will be. What I've done to Naruto is something I'm shocked he's willing to forgive me for. His kindness is something I don't think I can repay. I can't betray him again. I did a horrible thing by leaving him here all alone."

I look at Anko, who is looking down at her folded hands. I can see the solemn look on her face, and I immediately realize what she's thinking. She's thinking I'm going to take Naruto from her.

"Thank you for being there for him, Anko," I add. "Thank you so much. I know Naruto's life would have been miserable if not for you."

"Hmm." Anko shakes her head. "I met Naruto by pure accident. I don't think you were told that."

"No, I wasn't," I reply.

"It was just a few years ago, now, that I woke up in Konoha with a vague memory of being abandoned by Orochimaru," Anko says. "Like I was a useless, broken _toy_. I had this hideous seal on my neck, it was like a branding, telling the villagers to _stay away_. Even after the Third Hokage hid it, the villagers still looked at me as if I could turn into a monster in front of them."

Her hands began to shake. "I couldn't remember what Orochimaru had done to me or what he wanted me for, so I felt useless to him. And with the villagers treating me like crap, I felt like I didn't belong in Konoha. The Third Hokage deemed I was on the level of a chuunin, it helps that I apparently took the Chuunin Exams years ago and passed them, but I don't remember much of that. But the point is that they wouldn't send me on any missions, no one was willing to take Orochimaru's freak show with them, you know?"

Her hands separate and she hits the sofa cushions with them. Her voice is increasingly stressed, angry, and bitter. She's been suppressing this for a long time, not letting Naruto see even a _hint_ of this, and my presence is giving her _permission _to finally vent. Vent about her own miserable experience.

"After a few weeks of this, I decided I had enough. I was going to go someplace where Orochimaru's branding wasn't public knowledge. I didn't know where, and I knew the journey would _suck_, but I couldn't stay here anymore."

Anko sighs, and she stretches on the couch. She's already relaxing. Perhaps she isn't as angry as I thought she was, or maybe she's moving onto a happier memory.

"That's when you found Naruto, didn't you?" I ask.

Anko grins. "Hell yeah."

Oh boy. This sounds like this is going to be fun. "What was Naruto doing? What did he do to catch your eye?"

"Oh, he was getting into trouble. He had ditched school during recess to cause, you know, mischief and stuff."

Anko was describing it as an everyday occurrence, nothing major. Maybe that's what Naruto's antics were to her, or to many of the villagers. But to me, it was just a symptom of what I had done to him by leaving him all alone. It was a symbol of my failure as a parent, as a mother. Mikoto telling me that Naruto was doing this just for _attention _made what Anko was saying crystal clear.

"What did Naruto do _exactly_?" I ask, not entirely sure I wanted to know

"Naruto defaced the logo of a store and some clay pots with a bunch of markers. It wasn't crude or anything, just stupid, but the owner was furious and chased Naruto down the street yelling a bunch of curses. And Naruto's just laughing as he runs away. He doesn't think he's done anything wrong. He just thinks he did something funny because he's a little kid and doesn't have a good understanding of right and wrong."

Anko sighs. "Well, the owner of the store decided that Naruto, even though he was a kid, deserved to be taught a lesson. So he decided that Naruto, as he had no parent to discipline him, needed, well, disciplining."

I immediately realized where this was going and I felt a rush of pure anger course throughout my body. They would really go that far with Naruto? As a kid even younger than this one? _Hit _my child?

Anko's eyes widen. "Whoa. You all right?"

"I'm fine," I say. "He hit Naruto, didn't he?"

Anko sighs. "Yes, he did. I saw him doing it. He was beating Naruto up pretty bad. And Naruto, you know, he's just like 'It was a joke, stop'! He wasn't aware he had done anything wrong at all. He thought he was being funny, he just wanted the attention."

Anko's lips curl, and suddenly I realize that Anko felt about Naruto in a similar manner to how I feel.

She slams her left fist into her right palm. "So I beat up the bastard and then slammed his stupid head through the nearest wall."

Somehow, I can guess I would have done the exact same thing, just by the rush of anger I felt just _hearing_ about my son being beaten up. It was years ago, but I want to talk to that storeowner. What gives him the right to _hit _my son?

Anko scoffs. "Of course, the village wasn't too happy that I did that. The Third Hokage himself had to get involved. It was only then that I found out that the kid was the infamous Naruto the troublemaker."

"Did they punish the storeowner for beating up my child?" I ask.

Anko's eyes widen. "Of course he did! He spent a year in jail for that!"

"Just a _year_?" I ask. That sounds like a really light sentence! Far too light.

"It was three years but they took time off for good behavior. He was genuinely remorseful for what he had done, or something like that," Anko replies. "Anyway, can we please move on from this? I can tell this is just making you angry."

"I'm just finding out _now_ that someone decided to beat up Naruto when he was even younger than he is now. And I wasn't here for him," I reply. "Of course I'm angry. I'm angry at myself, and I'm angry that a grown man would hit a child. Especially _my _child."

"Well, it made me angry too, and like I said, I gave him what he deserved. I hit him for you, how's that?" Anko asks, that wry grin crossing her face.

"Fine. Agreed." I don't feel anything resembling that wry grin inside me, but I'll accept it. But it doesn't make me feel better that Anko, a complete stranger at this point of her story, had to intervene for Naruto.

"Well," Anko says, breathing a sigh of relief, "The Third Hokage decided that Naruto needed a caretaker. He had been running around without serious supervision. He asked me to watch over Naruto, to make sure he doesn't cause disturbances anymore. He told me about what had happened to Konoha, what had happened to him, what had happened to you and Naruto's father."

"How did you feel finding out about me?" I ask.

Anko gave me a weird look. "You're not going to like this, but I hated your guts, Kushina. Sorry, but that was the truth."

Oddly, that eased more tension inside me than anything else. At least she was being honest. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's all in the past," Anko says, waving it off as if she could shoo it all away. "So I agreed. I didn't have anything else to do, nothing else that made me feel like I belonged. I was an outcast, and living with an outcast kid just seemed to make sense."

Anko leans back in the couch, crushing the back cushion, and she puts her hands behind her head and crosses her legs. Her voice softens. "It only took about a week, but I started seeing _myself_ in Naruto, you know? He and I are similar in a lot of things. And when he kept getting into trouble, and I had to keep kicking his ass - _figuratively_, don't give me that look, Kushina - I . . . I guess I just started caring. For real."

Anko leans back forward, her eyes staring right into mine. "I knew I needed money, in order to have this apartment, in order for Naruto to dress like the other kids so even if I couldn't stop their jokes, I'd at least make them fewer, so. Hell, just to be able to _eat_ a decent meal. It didn't help that I was a sucky cook. Naruto'll probably tell you I _still _suck at cooking tomorrow, by the way."

"I haven't tried your cooking," I reply. "I'm sure you're not as bad as you say you are."

Anko just chuckles. "When you're ruining food, it makes the stretched budget even worse. So I _begged _the Third Hokage after a month of this, with my limited money about to run out, and the rent needing to be paid, to attach me to missions. I demonstrated my skills to him on the spot, and I impressed him, I guess. He finally forced one of the jonin to give me a provisional spot on a squad, and I started doing missions. My first one, and my payment for it, came just in time. It was one day before Naruto and I was gonna get kicked out when I made the payment."

Anko sighs. "And then . . . well . . . we settled into a routine. Naruto eventually learned to behave himself when I was here, but when I was gone, he kept getting in trouble. And sometimes, I'd catch trouble finding _him_ and I'd kick the asses of those who were picking on him, which would get _me _in trouble. You can see how this leads to a pretty vicious cycle, so. We were basically living mission to mission, C-ranked missions don't pay a ton, but we were able to get by."

She folds her hands again, and she looks down. I hear a crack in her voice, which is completely stunning to hear. It was something I had not heard in either Anko or Naruto at this point. _Sorrow_.

"After over a year of this . . . I finally decided to take a risk. To do a B-ranked mission. I wanted to make more money, you know? So I volunteered to help capture this murder suspect from the Land of Waves that seemed to have taken refuge in the Land of Fire."

Her hands began shaking. "The killer . . . he was beyond anyone else I've ever faced. He had _incredible _control over water. He drowned one of the squad without throwing him into a body of water. I mean it. He was drowning the rest of the squad, and two of them still have brain damage from that."

Her hands reach up to her head. "I can still see them drowning, Kushina. Struggling for air, their eyes wide in panic. I was so afraid. I really thought that I was gonna die, that I wasn't gonna come home, that Naruto would be all alone again."

She looks right at me, tears in her eyes. "It hit me, right then, that I _loved _Naruto, Kushina! I loved him, unconditionally, one hundred and ten percent!"

Now it's clear. I can hear it in her voice. She's afraid. She's afraid I'm going to take Naruto away from her. The "soul siblings" talk isn't just to comfort Naruto. It's how Anko Mitarashi really feels. It's for her own comfort, too.

"Anko, I-"

Anko interrupts me. "So I rushed him. My ninjutsu wasn't working, the killer's water techniques were stopping them all before they could reach him, so I just completely lost my head and attacked him head on. I withstood an entire jet of water being sent by way and I kept moving forward. I wasn't going to die, Kushina! Not for Naruto's sake! I was gonna come home, dammit! I forced my way up to the bastard and _sliced his throat open _and then put a kunai right through his heart!"

Anko stops yelling then, and just bends down, her face leaning against her fists, her whole body trembling. She takes a few deep breaths, and then rubs her face with the backs of her hands.

"Please, you can stop, Anko, I understand," I reply. "I really understand how you feel."

"I just . . . I wasn't going to leave Naruto all alone," Anko moans.

"I'm sorry," I say. "If I had known _any _of this-"

"Well, you didn't, okay? You were off feeling sorry for yourself!" Anko snaps.

There. That's what I've been expecting to hear from the entire village up until this point. The raw nerves. The anger. And, perhaps looming the largest of all, the _bitterness_.

Anko's eyes widen. "S-Sorry. I got a little too worked up there."

"No, there's nothing to be sorry for. I think I honestly deserve it," I reply. Which is the complete truth. I'm surprised that kind of reaction, that those kinds of words, haven't been said more to me since Tsume, Guy, and Mikoto found me. The reception I've received has been surprisingly ambivalent. I know it's not going to last, and hearing Anko say something so biting is just a taste of what I'm going to hear, I bet.

Anko takes a deep breath, exhales, and looks down at her hands again. "After that, I never took another B-ranked mission. The money wasn't worth it. I didn't want to take the risk of leaving Naruto alone again. I was never going to get promoted above chuunin if I just did C-ranks, but that was surprisingly okay with me."

She manages to give me a shaky smile. "I-I'm happy, Kushina. I feel so happy to be Naruto's older sister, if not in blood, in spirit. We came up with that saying we share together because of that. We are outcasts in our village, but not to each other."

"Anko, I am not going to take Naruto from you," I say. "What you've done for Naruto is above and beyond. That is why I want you to live with us, whether it is here or somewhere else. You've earned the right to be part of the family."

"What, you're going to adopt me?" Anko asks, skeptical.

"If that's what you want," I reply. I'm not sure if it's really feasible or practical to do, but I can't just kick Anko out. Not that I was seriously considering it to begin with, but after hearing what Anko just told me, I can't separate her from Naruto at all. This is no longer about me and my son, but about the one person who was there for my son when I wasn't.

I don't have the right to take what Anko has earned away. I can be Naruto's mom, but Anko can still be Naruto's "soul sister", right?

Anko shakes her head. "I'm already eighteen, Kushina. And, as far as I'm concerned, I don't need the 'Uzumaki' name to be Naruto's sister. In my heart, in my spirit, and in Naruto's heart and spirit too, that is what counts."

"I understand," I say. I admit it, I feel relieved that this large, looming issue has already been resolved. It'll be an awkward arrangement, but I can live with that.

Anko yawns. "Anyway, I'm going to turn in for the night. I know this is going to-"

"The sofa is fine with me, Anko. This is your apartment. I'm a guest," I say.

"Oh." Anko blinks a couple of times. "All right, that settles _that_. I'm gonna go see what little beauty rest I can get before the sun goes up. There's a blanket in the closet if you want it, by the way."

"Thank you, Anko. Have a good night."

"Yeah, thanks." Anko begins walking away, then she stops, and turns around to look at me.

Her eyes are steely, leering. I have a sense of what's coming.

"One more thing, Kushina. If you _ever_ abandon Naruto again, I don't care what the reason is, I will kick your _ass _or die trying. Got it?"

There it was. Anko's enmity. She may say it's in the past, but that's not the truth. She may not hate me overtly, but there's subtle disrespect and veiled dislike. Not that I blame her at all for it.

"I understand," I say.

"Hmmph." Anko vanishes around the corner and seconds later, I hear the door creak and shut. Not loudly, but it was noticeable.

She's not convinced about me intending to make amends at all. I am sure there are many in Konoha who think even worse of me. It'll take years, if not my entire life, to win everyone over again.

I'm not feeling cold, but I do switch from the cushioned chair I had been sitting on to the sofa. These cushions feel like heaven compared to what I had been sleeping on at the cabin.

I don't bother to take Anko up on her offer to take a blanket. This sofa feels good as it is.

The sense of finally falling asleep is warm and inviting.

* * *

When morning comes, I feel somewhat refreshed despite missing so much sleep. It feels weird to be waking up inside an apartment, knowing that my son and someone who is a complete stranger to me is in the same apartment. Not only that, but I can subtly hear the bustling of Konoha waking up, as people start running to their jobs or morning errands. The sound of _people _after all this time sounds alien, foreign, and almost unnerving.

It's a big switch from the sounds of a forest.

I know Naruto and Anko are going to wake up any second. I know I promised Naruto ramen. C'mon, let's see if you can still do it, Kushina. Let's see what Anko has at her disposal. I hope I can create _something _with flavor.

When I open up Anko's pantry and refrigerator I'm shocked. Almost all of the ingredients are store-brought. I'm not going to be able to make the ramen from scratch. My heart sinks, and then I shake it off. Anko _did _tell me that her cooking ability left something to be desired. I can still work with it.

After scourging through, Anko has enough to make a decent miso ramen. She has some pork pieces and eggs that look good, and she has a lot of the basics for the toppings, like leeks, onions, butter and corn, and chopped garlic. I don't like the look of the store-brought chicken broth, I don't think it is going to be as thick as it ideally should be, but it'll be passable. The most disappointing part are the ramen noodles. They're pre-made and packaged. The noodles I always made for Minato, myself, and any guest I had, were made entirely from scratch. I was proud of that.

But I can still work with this. It's probably easier this way anyway, until I can prepare a few more ramen dishes. I just hope Naruto and Anko can appreciate a good tangy kick. If they don't, this little experiment isn't going to end very well.

Faint memories of preparing miso ramen in the past manage to guide me through the process of preparing, cooking, and plating three miso ramen dishes. I make a little bit too much, but I put the little bit of extra material on Naruto's plate. If he likes it, he'll appreciate it.

I had just finished plating when Naruto and Anko get up at virtually the same time and stumble out of their rooms. They truly _are _alike in ways they probably don't even realize.

"Oh wow, that smells great!" Naruto exclaims.

"Is this miso ramen?" Anko asks. "Smells like it."

"It is. I don't know if I pulled it off perfectly, but it's miso ramen."

"Miso ramen?" Naruto asks, his eyes wide. "Anko has never able to make miso ramen before! She always makes it so spicy it feels like our tongues are gonna burn off!"

"Aww." Anko hangs her head.

"I'll teach you how," I promise Anko. "All you need, Anko, is hands-on lessons."

Anko manages a faint smile. "Thank you."

Naruto is already slurping through the noodles, and he comes up for air after about fifteen seconds of constant eating. "This tastes so good! Thank you, Mom!"

"Really?" Anko asks, surprised. She takes a cautious bite. "Wow. You really _are _good at this. I think I'll take you up on those cooking lessons."

"Really?" I'm actually shocked. Anko's ingredients weren't exactly ideal. To me, when I try it, it tastes a bit too flat. It's missing that hearty thickness, and while there's a hint of tang, it's not as strong as I like it to be.

Then again, maybe Anko and Naruto are more easily satisfied than I am.

"Really! Best homemade ramen ever!" Naruto exclaims.

"Thank you," I say. That beaming smile on his face is just like yours, Minato, when you wasted my own ramen for the first time. You truly do live on in your son.

And that is why I'll be here for him and Konoha from now on. This is _your_ village, and _your _people, Minato. You may no longer be here to lead them, but I can still be here to protect them.

I can preserve your legacy, in both your son and in this village.

Starting with this brand-new day.

"What do you want to do after we're done, Mom?" Naruto asks me.

"Do you have class at the academy?" I ask.

"No, it's a weekend," Naruto says.

"Then we can do whatever we want today. This day belongs to us. All three of us. Let's spend it together."

Naruto's beaming smile tells me all I need to know.

It's time for me to start over. For him, for me, for Konoha . . .

And for you too, Minato.

I hope you're smiling somewhere, my love.

* * *

So ends the prologue arc. Hope you liked. My adaptation of the Introduction Arc is next.


	6. Four Years Later

dbzsotrum9: I'm sorry for getting some minor details wrong. I'm trying to do the best I can to do everything right. One thing that stuck to me was how Minato famously loved Kushina's cooking and I wanted to show that, and as Naruto loves ramen I figured Minato did too. People aren't really pissed at Kushina for abandoning her child . . . they are more like pissed at her PERIOD.

Last-son-of-the-snow: Here's another one for ya. ;)

This started out as one giant chapter, which I decided to split into Chapters 6-8. They adapt the first episode of Naruto and some of the before-and-after.

* * *

**Chapter Six: Four Years Later**

"_Why _do we have to be here again?" Anko asks, her hands fidgeting.

"Because Mikoto is my friend, and she has accomplished something incredible, and Sasuke can't be here because he's at the academy," I reply. "Naruto and I were there for you last year. Mikoto needs people, not just _one _person, telling her what a good job she did."

"Sorry. I'm still trying to get over my last A-ranked mission. Nerves and stuff," Anko says, folding her arms finally. While that stops the _hands _from fidgeting, Anko begins tapping her right foot on the ground immediately.

"If you want to teach a three-man _genin _team," I say, "You're going to need to execute a lot more patience than you are right now. Nerves are not an excuse."

"Right, right, sorry," Anko says, and finally she holds still.

For all of five seconds.

"Argh, seriously! How long does it take to receive a stupid uniform and walk out of the Hokage's office?" Anko shouts, her hands gripping her violet bangs like she's going to pull her hair out.

"You should know. You're wearing the 'stupid uniform'," I reply.

Anko looks down at her green flak vest. "Oh crap, you're right."

She gives me a worried look. "Please tell me no one heard that."

"I heard that!" shouts a male voice from down the hall.

Anko buries her face in her hands. "I'm so dead. I'm never gonna teach genin."

"It's all right," I say, patting her on the shoulder. "You've only been a jonin for a year. You'll have an opportunity to teach a team soon, Anko."

"Yeah, but I want to teach _Naruto_," Anko replies.

And there lies the root of Anko's situation.

We don't live in her cramped apartment anymore, but a small house near the back of the down, just a few blocks away from the Hokage's residence. And after we moved there, Anko soon began entertaining dreams of becoming a full-fledged _jonin_. That meant she had to start taking B-ranked missions, fraught with far more danger, but she started succeeding in them. The Hokage kept moving Anko towards the path of a _tokubetsu jonin_, or someone who was jonin-level in a _very_ specific area, but Anko refused. She wanted to go _full _jonin regardless of the hardship she put on herself.

And Naruto is why.

Anko, despite the incredible odds stacked against her, is determined to become Naruto's teacher when Naruto becomes a genin.

I've given up on telling her how slim the odds are that Naruto and her will be placed in the same cell. At least the pursuit of that dream gave Anko a lot of motivation and courage to do something she once had no desire of doing. Or, rather, people doubted she would ever be able to achieve. It's meant that Anko has to be more nuanced, more of a team player, stronger and braver.

And somehow she pulled it off and she received her jonin uniform last year.

However, Anko's Naruto-like tendencies still show up in several situations. Like this one.

The door opens, finally.

And then I see Mikoto Uchiha, a jonin uniform in her hands.

"Congratulations, Mikoto," I say. Mikoto, I'm even more proud of than Anko. Mikoto had been a civilian for all of these years, worked tirelessly for the last four years to regain her edge and her skills, desperately trying to become a jonin herself.

Now here she is, once again a jonin. A-ranked missions for her at last.

"Yeah, what Kushina said! Congrats!" Anko adds, clapping her hands.

Mikoto just gives us a small smile. "Thank you both. I'm surprised you both came."

"Well, Kushina made-ow!" Before Anko says something that she'll regret, it's best to nip it in the bud. Or, in this case, swiftly stomp on Anko's foot.

"Mikoto, we should celebrate this. No one has made it to jonin as fast as you can," I say while Anko moans in the background.

Mikoto's smile turns melancholy. "It helps that I was a jonin before, you know. I knew what I had to do, I just had to make my body cooperate. It was harder than I expected. I'm less than a year from forty, Kushina. And after years of being an ordinary woman, a civilian, it took a lot of abuse to make my body cooperate."

Mikoto is reminding me that I'm not much younger than she is. Anko likes to say I'm aging better than Mikoto, however much that means. Anko, as well as others, say I still look twenty-eight-to-thirty, but Mikoto, after years of seemingly eternal youth, has rapidly aged since the Uchiha Massacre. Her hair is starting to show signs of gray, and her face is starting to wrinkle around her mouth, though her forehead remains as smooth as ever. She still looks a couple of years younger than forty, but at the rate Mikoto seems to be aging, that won't be the case after another year or so.

It's a sign that something is not healthy with her.

I can't focus on that, though. Only happy thoughts today. "You should be even more proud of yourself, then. Four years from civilian to jonin. You've changed classes at a rate of one a year, Mikoto. That's almost impossible to do. This really does call for a celebration."

Mikoto shakes her head. "Not really. It's just another rung on the ladder I've been able to climb."

"Well, we should celebrate Sasuke and Naruto," Anko says. "Their final examinations are today, aren't they?"

That's true. Sasuke and Naruto are trying to graduate from the academy today, along with a host of others. Their final examinations will dictate whether they, and a host of others, are ready to become genin, the lowest class of ninja, but still official shinobi and kunoichi nevertheless.

"You make a good point," I say. I turn my attention to Mikoto. She doesn't talk much about how Sasuke is doing. Last I heard was from Sasuke himself a month ago, he had been doing very well. "How _is _Sasuke looking anyway?"

Mikoto smiles. "Top of the class. What about Naruto? Isn't this his third try?"

I was afraid of that. But I had asked for it by asking about Sasuke. "He's . . . barely hanging on this time. On the borderline of passing or failing. That's better than his last two tries, anyway."

Mikoto's thin smile falls. "I'm sorry."

"No, don't be. He's doing everything he can. He just . . . has his own way and it clashes with how the academy does things."

"I am sure his tricks are not helping," Mikoto says, her voice more severe.

Naruto's reputation precedes him. His pranks are not as frequent as they once were and the severity isn't as great either. There's a larger problem than just Naruto being a troublemaker.

"It's his lack of friends that aren't helping, Mikoto," I reply. "And that's not really his fault. Though I wish you could encourage Sasuke to hang out with Naruto sometime."

"I'm not going to force Sasuke and Naruto to hang out together," Mikoto says firmly. "He and Naruto have very different personalities, Kushina. They clash."

Anko scoffs. "That's not it at all, Mikoto. The problem is that Sasuke is always brooding. It drives Naruto crazy and that's why they don't get along together. Sasuke, if he doesn't wanna be alone, needs to lighten up, Mikoto."

"Lighten up?" Mikoto asks, her voice low and dangerous. "You expect either of us to 'lighten up' after what happened to our entire clan, Anko?"

Anko gives Mikoto a sheepish smile. "No offense, Mikoto. Honest."

Mikoto sighs. "You just don't understand."

She walks past us. "I wish Naruto the best of luck, Kushina. I hope we all can meet at our favorite ramen place and celebrate later today. I'm sorry . . . it's just been a long day."

She walks away, down the hall, cradling the uniform in her arms like it's a newborn child.

Or a limp, unconscious body.

Anko sighs. "Mikoto seems to get scarier every time I see her."

"She's a determined person," I reply. "I wish I could make her feel better but it's like the more days go by, the more distant she's becoming. But I have to keep reaching out to her. Find some way to help her."

Anko lets out a short, humorless chuckle. "I think Naruto needs the help right now, to be honest. I'm sure he's trying his best, but he still puts too much time and effort into silly things like that Sexy Technique he likes doing."

"'Sexy Technique'?" I ask. This is the first I've heard of _that _particular 'joke'.

Anko's eyes widen. "You've never heard of it? Or seen it?"

"No, what is it? Does he turn into a muscular, handsome man or something?" I ask.

"N-Not exactly," Anko says, a silly little grin on her face. "More like a tall, voluptuous woman. Naked too, I might add."

I am having a _loooooooooong _talk with Naruto over this "Sexy Technique" later today.

"I see," I respond, trying to keep myself pleasant and neutral, but all I feel is anger. What could Naruto be thinking with that? It just sounds ridiculous and pointless and overall, just plain _stupid_! Why is he wasting his time with that? I thought I was teaching him to know better. I really did.

"Yeah, I didn't think that was gonna go over well," Anko says.

Before I can answer, the door opens behind me. "Kushina Uzumaki. I thought I was hearing your voice."

Hiruzen Sarutobi. The Third Hokage. He's old but his mind is as sharp as it's ever been. I spin around and bow. "It's an honor to see you, Lord Hokage. Thank you for allowing Mikoto to become a jonin. It's something she's really striven for in the last few years."

"Actually, I need to speak with you about that," Hiruzen replies. He looks at Anko. "_You_ are excused, Anko Mitarashi. If you eavesdrop, and I'll _know _if you are, you will not like the consequences."

Anko's face turns red from embarrassment. Clearly she was thinking of doing so. "Y-Yes, Lord Hokage. I'll, uh . . . just stand . . . somewhere . . . _not _eavesdropping. Bye, Kushina!"

"Bye, Anko," I say, somewhat haltingly because Anko takes off down the hall, quickly leaving earshot and making my farewell just a little pointless.

Hiruzen sighs. "Anko Mitarashi is the first questionable jonin promotion I have made. And now I have made my second. I only hope I don't regret making either one. Not in the way I've come to regret training Orochimaru."

It takes me a moment, but I realize that the Hokage isn't just talking about Anko, but about _Mikoto _as well. "What's wrong, Lord Hokage?"

"Please, come inside. We will have privacy," Hiruzen replies, and he re-opens the door to his office.

Curious as to what the Hokage could mean, I follow him inside, and the door slams with its deep, satisfying _thunk_.

* * *

Hiruzen walks over to the great, gigantic windows that surround half of his office, including his desk where a never-ending stack of papers are waiting for him to peruse From here, Hiruzen, and anyone who ventures into his office, can see almost the entire village. It's a humbling, amazing sight. Though I suppose it grows tiresome after years upon years at it. And Hiruzen has spent two different terms in this office.

Hiruzen seems even more weathered and exhausted than usual as he turns to look at me, though his eyes still have that inner drive they have always had. "Have you told Naruto about who you really are, Kushina?"

"No." Believe it or not, that's largely the plan. Naruto is not supposed to know until he was a genin at _least _that I am the jinchuuriki. All Naruto knows is that the jinchuuriki is somewhere in Konoha, and that the jinchuuriki attacked Konoha twelve years ago.

All of the adults are bound to this secret as well, though it doesn't stop them from shunning Naruto, and shunning me as well. I've worked hard over the last four years to try to make amends, but it's hard to stay encouraged. Especially when the children of the adults are dropping flower pots and assorted random items on my head. It's made walking the streets of Konoha rather perilous. The children don't know why they're supposed to hate me, but they know their parents do and that's good enough for them.

At least the apathy and anger that had been directed towards Naruto has gone down since I returned. Now it's _me _who is on the receiving end. Which is as it should be. Adults have no business ganging up on a child who doesn't know the full picture.

Hiruzen sighs. "That's good. But it's going to become more difficult to hide it as he grows older, even if he never becomes a genin. This is Naruto's last shot, isn't it?"

"He's determined. I don't doubt he can do it this time," I reply. "I had my own issues at the Academy, Lord Hokage."

"I still remember the legend of the 'Red Hot Habenero' from those days," Hiruzen replies with a small smile. "I see some of you in Naruto, actually, though you never aspired to _his _levels of mischief."

"I suppose," I reply. I know the Hokage is just trying to say small talk, to make me relaxed before he drops whatever bombshell he plans to, but I can't just sit here and chat. I want to know what the Hokage had talked about with Mikoto being a "questionable" promotion.

"Lord Hokage, what is this about Mikoto and her being a 'questionable' promotion? Do you think you're promoting her too early?"

Hokage shakes her head. "No, you misunderstand. Mikoto Uchiha's record in the field has been exemplary. Stunningly so, actually. It was clear she was ready to become a jonin after her first couple of missions as a chuunin."

"Then what is the problem?" I ask. Then it occurs to me. "You're talking about the rumors of the Uchiha Clan betraying Konoha, aren't you?"

"Yes," Hiruzen says, his gravelly voice soft.

"I know Mikoto Uchiha. She is my best friend. She would _never _betray Konoha, Lord Hokage."

Hiruzen sighs. "Kushina, I'm sorry. But Mikoto was linked to the treasonous wing of the Uchiha clan through her husband. I am willing to show you transcripts of suspicious conversations and photographs of evidence."

"If anyone in the Uchiha clan was willing to commit treason, that's because they were all shoved into an isolated corner of the village," I reply. "They were treated as pariahs, Lord Hokage. Of _course _some of them would want to rebel. But I know Mikoto. She wouldn't go along with something like treason!"

Hiruzen sighs. "I would dismiss this myself, but Mikoto . . . is not the woman she once was. Her eyes are dead, Kushina. There's a deep hatred in her, an edge she did not previously have. I could sense that when she and I spoke in this room just minutes ago. Though you can also see that when you look at her face. Her hatred is devouring her from the inside out."

I want to tell Hiruzen that he's senile, he's being foolish, he's lying. I want to scream this at him and stomp out the door. Mikoto is my closest friend! She wouldn't do anything like that! Sure, she was angry, and bitter, but that was understandable? But this talk of hatred, of dead, soulless eyes, it couldn't be real!

But I know Hiruzen Sarutobi. He would never say such things lightly. He would not say it to me in particular unless he was certain.

And . . . just from speaking to Mikoto outside . . .

No. I won't believe it. She's my friend. She'd never do it.

"Why do you think Mikoto Uchiha could commit treason?" I ask.

"Danzo Shimura," Hiruzen replies.

Now it makes sense. "Danzo Shimura was the one who recommended the Uchiha clan be isolated in the first place. You're saying that Mikoto believes Danzo is ultimately responsible for the clan's destruction and will attempt to assassinate him."

"That could be the case. It could be more, or far less, than that. Or I could just be going senile finally. But I want to know for sure, Kushina. I want you to watch your friend periodically and report to me if you witness anything suspicious."

"Why me?" I ask. "Why can't you ask anyone else to do this? I'll be violating Mikoto's trust in me by doing this, Lord Hokage. I really can't do this. I know in my heart that Mikoto's no traitor."

Hiruzen sighs and looks away. "I suppose that this is the answer I should've expected. I apologize. Please don't mention what I've said to anyone else, no matter who they are."

"I will keep your information confidential, Hokage. And thank you for trusting me with your information." I search through my brain, looking for any kind of middle ground. Mikoto's words from four years ago, when she implicitly blamed Danzo for the massacre of her clan, still resonate with me. There _is _a chance that the Hokage is correct. If I don't find a middle ground, I will either betray Mikoto or be hopelessly naive.

Finally, I find my desired compromise. "If I think Mikoto is acting suspicious, I _will_ come to you, Lord Hokage. I promise. But for right now . . . spying on her is something I just cannot do. But I _will _tell you if I believe something's wrong."

"Is that the best answer I can have?" Hiruzen asks.

"Yes," I reply.

"Fine. You are dismissed, Kushina. Remember, again, that everything I've said is strictly confidential."

"I understand. I will see you later, Hokage. Thank you." I give him a bow and then walk out the door, leaving him to his desks and papers.

I won't believe it. Mikoto may be grieving still, she may be confused, she may be angry, she may be bitter, but I know what kind of person she is. She wouldn't betray the village. She wouldn't betray _me_. Not after saving Naruto twelve years ago and then having the clan's healers heal me before I bled out after reverting back to my normal form.

I know Mikoto. I _know _her.

I know I can still trust her.

But . . . seeing Mikoto just now . . .

I hate to admit it, but I can't discount that evil, evil possibility.

I have to check on her.

Which, ironically, is what the Third Hokage wanted all along.

I shake the thoughts off. I can't worry about this. The academy is about to let out. I'm about to know whether Naruto passed or failed his examination. I need to get there and be there with the other parents.

And I hope I can see Naruto with his new forehead protector, with a Leaf Village emblem proudly displayed on the front of the protector's armor.

And then watch him progress on the journey of his dreams.

* * *

The Academy grounds is packed with parents and children, many of whom are wearing their emblazoned forehead protectors or have them in hand. Other kids are slinking off, their parents disappointed or furious with them over their failure.

I don't see Naruto in the crowd at all.

"Ugh! Why is _she _here?" I hear a woman say.

"Naruto attends here too, remember?" replies another woman.

Ah, so they're talking about _me_.

"What gives her the right to pretend to be one of us? If I had my way I'd have her executed for what she did."

"Ssh, she's in earshot."

"So what? It'd be better for the village anyway. That way we wouldn't have to live in fear of our so-called 'protector'. I'd rather have _no_ protection than _her_."

As usual, I am never welcome.

Maybe Naruto's waiting inside the Academy building, just waiting for the crowd to disperse so he can come outside and see me without much hostility coming his or my way. It would be thoughtful of him, perhaps more than I can give him credit for, but Naruto has done some stunningly thoughtful acts in the last four years. I know he has the capability to be so nuanced.

I walk around the edge of the crowd, and see a long swingset on the tree. Sitting on it like it was one long board, his hands curled around the left rope, is Mikoto Uchiha's son, Sasuke.

I can see why the girls _would _love Sasuke. He's handsome. Stunningly so. His dark eyes in particular would probably be the kicker. They look mysterious, brooding, vaguely sad and distant. Those kinds of layers witnessed just by peering into his eyes probably caused a lot of crushes right then and there.

He's sitting alone, though. I guess Mikoto is running late, or wanted to get changed into her jonin uniform before seeing him. Like a surprise.

Still, it wouldn't hurt to talk to him a little. He doesn't despise me the way much of the crowd does.

I walk over to him, and his eyes look up at me. He smiles, just a little. If his eyes didn't get young girls crushing on him, that little smile, thoughtful and kind and distant and hurting, definitely would.

"Hi, Ms. Uzumaki," he says, his voice soft.

"Hi, Sasuke. How are you?"

"Not so bad." Sasuke reaches into his pocket and pulls out a forehead protector. "I passed my examination test. Top of my class."

"That's wonderful, Sasuke. I'm sure your mom will be incredibly proud of you once she gets here. She just made jonin, by the way. She's a high-level ninja."

Sasuke chuckles. "That's my mom for you. She is relentlessly determined."

His smile fades. "I thought she would be here. It's graduation. It only happens once."

Sasuke is surprisingly mature for his age. He recognizes time in a way most children, including Naruto, simply do not. He's almost like an adult that way.

"Well, she _has_become a jonin again. Maybe she wants to have the uniform on before she sees you."

Sasuke's replying chuckle is humorless. "Most likely she forgot. Like most days. I usually just go home by myself, but today I thought I'd wait."

Sasuke looks at the headband in his hand, and then he clenches it. "I guess there's no point in waiting around any more like a lonely little kid. I should just go home and tell my mom what happened like always."

As he gets up, I look around, and there's _still _no sign of Naruto and the crowd's dispersing. What's taking him so long.

"How did Naruto do?" I ask. "Do you know?"

Sasuke sighs. "The final examination was on the Clone Technique. Where we have to make replicants of ourselves. It's Naruto's worst technique. I guess he managed to get some things right, like the hand motions, but he only made one clone and it wasn't breathing. I heard that Mizuki-sensei thought it was good enough but Iruka-sensei overruled him. You need the approval of both proctors to graduate, so . . ."

So Naruto failed. Again. No wonder he wasn't here. He had been trying really, _really _hard. Both of the last two times he had failed, he had cried to me and apologized over and over, vowing he was gonna get it right, that he wasn't going to let me down.

He could be anywhere in Konoha, wandering aimlessly, wondering what to do. He always thinks I'm going to be furious at him, or cast him off.

And those feelings are justified, though wrong. I _did _cast him off for eight of his twelve years, after all.

"I see. Where is Naruto now?" I ask.

"Mizuki-sensei walked up to Naruto and talked to him about something. I think Mizuki-sensei might either be giving Naruto advice, a practice session, or may be trying to give Naruto some type of extra-credit assignment to push him over the graduation line. Naruto was _really _close this year, he was only five or six points short, I heard. His clone breathing would've been enough for him to pass the academy in spite of flunking his graduation exam."

That sounds a bit odd, and, more importantly, it doesn't help me find Naruto. He _definitely _could be anywhere in town right now. And with a teacher I didn't know particularly well. I know Iruka Umino, he's a good man, loyal, firm, and kind. Mizuki's a blank slate. He hasn't been a teacher as long as Iruka.

I don't like this. Something isn't fitting together.

"Sasuke," I say. "Can you come with me and help me find Naruto? Consider this your first D-ranked mission. Unofficially, I admit, but still."

"Really?" Sasuke asked, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Really," I say, and I give him a confident smile. "I don't think your mom will be mad if I borrow you for a while. She and I have been best friends for a long time, Sasuke."

Sasuke gives me another of his small smiles, but it appears a bit more wry and lopsided. "Naruto and I don't exactly get along, Ms. Uzumaki."

"Naruto just needs to learn that just because you're different than he is, that doesn't mean you're out to pick on him," I reply. "And Naruto needs to learn that I'm proud of him, because he is trying so hard. I know he will be a great man one day, but he just needs to clear this hurdle."

"Well . . ." Sasuke sighs. "Fine. What's your plan?"

"First, we're going to meet up with Anko and do some strategizing. Then we're going to split up all over Konoha and track him down. We meet at Naruto's favorite ramen joint at dusk, with him or without him."

"All right. Sounds good to me," Sasuke says. "Let's go."

"Follow me," I say, and Sasuke and I leave the Academy behind.

* * *

"I want sake," Anko moans.

"Lemonade. You're not drinking in front of a minor, Anko," I reply.

"Can I at least pour some alcohol in my lemonade? It'll _look _like I'm not drinking except I really am drinking."

"Anko, not happening, end of story."

"You must be fun at parties." Anko rests her head on the table. "Somebody needs to start selling alcoholic lemonade. It's a brilliant idea. Lotsa money to be made."

"_Anko_-"

"I get it!" Anko reaches and downs half a glass of lemonade in one gulp. "There, I drank your precious non-alcoholic lemonde that won't give me a hangover in the morning. Happy?"

"Slightly."

"You suck."

Sasuke chuckles to my left. He probably will never admit it, but he enjoys being with people. Just as long as it's people he likes. He's not the type to socialize just to socialize.

"I didn't have you pegged for a wino," Sasuke says.

"I am not," Anko replies, looking pouty. "They don't allow winos to teach genin. But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate sake. Where has it been all my life?"

"Out of your reach because you weren't legal," I reply.

"Kushina, leave the snappy comebacks to me, 'kay?" Anko says with that pouty face again.

Anko's antics are lightly amusing, but it doesn't distract me from one real fact.

Naruto is not here with us.

I know Sasuke has to be feeling uncomfortable about that too. At least if Naruto was here he'd be with somebody his own age. Instead, he's hanging around with two adults. I have memories of being twelve and not finding that cool or fun at all.

But for me, it's like my heart is being squeezed by this invisible vise a little more each passing minute. The sun is setting outside, and not a single one of us had been able to find Naruto . . . or Mizuki, the teacher Sasuke said pulled Naruto aside.

What were they doing?

Something is wrong and it's starting to worry me.

Perhaps realizing that I was no longer in the mood to joke around, Anko's face turns more serious. "What's the plan now, Kushina? Naruto's nowhere in the village."  
Anko is _not_going to enjoy hearing this, but there is only one place left to search. And it is gigantic.

"The only place left is the forest outside the village walls. We need to head there," I say.

Anko's face slams into the desk. "I _knew _you were gonna say that."

"And once we find him," I say. "Naruto's grounded. I don't care what the reason is."

I look at Sasuke, who is about finished with his ramen and is softly slurping the last of his noodles.. "You're excused from going into the forest with Anko and I, Sasuke. Go home to your mother. She's probably wondering where you've been."

"It's all right, Ms. Uzumaki. I'm not in the mood to head home right now," Sasuke replies. "I can help you for a couple more hours. My mother isn't as strict as you are with being home at a specific hour."

"Are you sure?" I ask.

Sasuke gives me that small, melacholy smile again. "Yes. By the way, Iruka-sensei is standing behind you, Anko."

"He's wha?" Anko turns around, and I look back in front of me again, to see Iruka Umino standing right behind Anko.

"Kyaaah!" Anko nearly falls out of her chair. "What the hell is _wrong _with you, Iruka? Why'd you sneak up on us like that?"

"Because I'm a ninja and that's what I do," Iruka replies.

"Everybody's gotta be a snarker today," Anko moans, giving the poutiest expression I've ever seen on anyone older than twenty.

"What's wrong, Iruka?" I asked. He looks nervous. Scared, almost.

Iruka rubs his head. "Kushina, I've been trying to find you! Naruto's committed a huge criminal act! He's stolen the Scroll of Seals."

"He's _what_?" It's happened. My worst nightmare.

Why? Why would Naruto do this? What would make him steal the Scroll of Seals? It's filled to the brim with forbidden techniques! The village is in grave danger, especially if a hostile village got ahold of it!

No. Wait. Go back to the forbidden techniques. What if _that _is why Naruto did this?

What if he thinks by mastering a forbidden technique he can graduate from the Academy? What if he's doing this to try to make me proud of him? He doesn't know any better.

Damn it, I have to find him. And stop him.

_Immediately_!

"Why am I only finding out about this _now_?" I ask.

"We've only been searching for him for the last half-hour," Iruka says. "I don't have any leads on where Naruto could possibly be. I was wondering if _you'd_know!"

That makes sense. I _am _Naruto's mother. It's embarrassing that I don't know where he is myself! At least some of the options have been narrowed down. At least I can form something resembling a plan. Better than nothing.

I just hope that I don't get to wherever Naruto is too late.

"We just searched the entire village for him. He's not here, not inside the village. He's going to be in the forest," I say.

"Then let's get going," Iruka says.

"No," I reply. "Anko and I will go. Iruka, please get Sasuke home first and then catch up."

Sasuke interrupts. "Forget it. I'm seeing this through to the end."

"This isn't a D-ranked mission anymore, Sasuke! We've jumped multiple grades! I don't think-"

"I owe you my life, Ms. Uzumaki," Sasuke replies. "I'm not going anywhere but into that forest. You can tell me to stay in the rear, that's fine, but I'm coming to help you."

"Sasuke-"

"Enough arguing!" Anko shouts and she slams her lemonade glass on the desk, thankfully not breaking it.

"We're _all_ going and that's final!" Anko yells. "We'll find Naruto faster with more people! C'mon, let's move _now_!"

Now that's taking charge, Anko. Looks like you're taking that jonin promotion seriously.

"I'm with you, Anko!" I say. "You take point!"

"Gladly!" Anko charges out of the ramen shop, nearly knocking over the poor waitress named Ayame, and I follow her right out the door.

Naruto . . . please be okay. Please be okay. Why would you be so stupid right now?

Don't do it. Whatever that scroll says, don't do it.

You have no idea what power you have in your hands, Naruto.

Please, Naruto, if I have taught you anything in the last four years, please let it be responsibility. Because that is what you need right now.

Please, Naruto. Don't be tempted by the power.

Please don't . . .

* * *

This was a hard chapter to write because of the length. Chapter Seven is essentially a continuation of Chapter Six.


	7. Fake

No time to respond to everyone this time. The Redeemer goes down to weekly updates from this point forward. It will update on Tuesdays usually.

If any Gundam SEED: Bloodlines readers are reading this fic, the reason why updates stopped for that fic is that I used up my buffer for that fic in November. I am in the process of restoring the buffer and will be updating it regularly starting in January or February.

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Fake**

"Hold up!" I shout. It's been roughly five minutes after we've left Konoha and its gate behind, and while Anko, Iruka, and I are not winded yet, it isn't just us.

Sasuke does not have the skill to jump through tree branches yet.

He's running on the ground, burning through his energy much faster than the rest of us. And he's rapidly falling behind.

"Right!" Anko shouts from the lead position, and the three of us all jump on the ground.

"We don't have time for this," Iruka says. "We need to keep pressing on."

"We're not leaving Sasuke by himself," I reply.

Sasuke reappears then, running up to us, gasping for air. "I'm sorry. Now I see why you don't want me with."

"No, it's because it's dangerous. You're doing fine," I reply. He truly is. For a brand-new genin, who has just graduated, who has no knowledge of tree-running, he's keeping up surprisingly well. It's just that "surprisingly well" still isn't quick enough.

I hand him some water from my spare bottle, which he quickly gulps down. "Thanks," he says, wiping his mouth after swallowing a good portion of it.

Iruka sighs. "We can't keep stopping. I say two of us go on ahead and searches the outer portion of the forest, and someone stays with Sasuke and checks the area closest to the village."

Anko puts her hand on her hip. "Well, I think I should go on ahead. What about you, Kushina?"

My first impulse is that I should go on ahead with Anko, and leave Iruka with Sasuke. Iruka isn't as experienced in the field as either Anko or I, being a teacher who mostly spends his time inside the village and not on missions.

At the same time though, that's splitting us up between our two strongest members and our two weakest members. It's an unbalanced group. Also, Iruka has been able to keep up with us so far. It's not going to be a _massive _difference whether I go with Anko or stay with Sasuke.

"I'll stay with Sasuke. That evens the teams," I reply.

Iruka looks surprised. "Are you sure? I think Anko should stay with Sasuke and you and I should go on ahead personally, Kushina."

"No. I like it this way. You and Anko and then Sasuke and I."

Iruka looks ready to protest, but Anko steps in. "It's settled, then. C'mon, Iruka. Time's a-wastin'. You're the one who wants to keep moving, anyway. Let's go burn off some of that nervous energy."

"Right," Iruka says. "Fine." Anko casually waves at me. "See you later, Kushina. Meet at the outer gate in two hours?"

"Sounds good to me," I reply.

Anko vanishes, and then Iruka vanishes with her.

Sasuke sounds like he's caught his breath. "I apologize. Should I just go back? I've already slowed everyone up."

"No. You're fine. I can carry you if you want."

Sasuke gives me a small, lopsided smile. "I've got too much pride to be carried, Ms. Uzumaki."

"All right. If you need to stop and rest, just let me know, Sasuke." I ready myself to jump back into the trees. "Let's go!"

I jump back into the trees and charge through the forest again.

There's a small cabin in the way, and while it's an obvious hiding spot, it wouldn't shock me if Naruto picked it. It looks abandoned, like it's been unoccupied for a year or two. There was a small population of people who considered themselves part of Konoha but lived outside the walls. But they didn't live great existences, and their population seemed to go down every year as the relative wealth of the main village kept beckoning. This looked like just another home that was left behind by someone who decided the village itself held better prospects.

I hear Sasuke panting behind me. He's close to worn out. I don't care about his pride, I'm carrying him on my back for the rest of this. He just isn't ready for this kind of work.

Sasuke puts his hands on his knees and gulps down as much air as he can. "Checking here?" he manages.

"Yes. I could see Naruto being in here," I reply.

"Something's wrong," Sasuke says all of a sudden.

"What is it?" I ask, turning to look at him.

"Iruka-sensei . . . he doesn't act like that, Kushina. He's not the type to tell people to leave a kid behind. Or volunteer to go with the main fighters. He'd stay behind to protect the child while everyone else goes and fights. That's how he is."

I immediately realize the implication. "You're saying that Iruka is _not _Iruka."

"He was acting out of character for Iruka-sensei," Sasuke replies. "I'm not saying it couldn't be Iruka-sensei, but . . . I think Ms. Mitarashi could be in danger."

I immediately think about charging off to go find Anko and warn her, but that would definitely involve leaving Sasuke behind. If Sasuke is right, Iruka could be anyone, or _anything_. I can't put Sasuke in danger.

At the same time, I can't just leave Sasuke here by himself. That would be an even greater mistake than bringing him with! It doesn't help that I don't know what Anko's search pattern is. I have no clue where she could be.

So should I just do nothing?

Damn it. What the hell is going on here? What kind of mess has Naruto gotten himself into? Was anything that "Iruka" said at the ramen shop the truth? Or was it all a lie to get us out there?

Mizuki. Sasuke said that Mizuki pulled Naruto away somewhere. What if this was all a plan by Mizuki? But . . . to do _what_? What would be Mizuki's motivation to trick us and then send us on this wild goose chase?

"Sasuke, I want your opinion on this whole situation. Whatever it is you're thinking," I say. "What makes you think this could be a trap?"

Sasuke's eyes widen, as if surprised I would ask him such a thing, and then he sighs and relaxes. "There's been red flags from the very beginning, Ms. Uzumaki. You don't know Iruka-sensei the way I do, and neither does Ms. Mitarashi so . . . something seemed _off _about Iruka-sensei from the moment he kind of snuck up behind Ms. Mitarashi."

"You're saying just the way he appeared behind us was off?" I ask.

"Yes. Iruka-sensei doesn't crack a joke the way he did when Ms. Mitarashi snapped at him either." Sasuke replies. "That was the first indication something was off."

He sighs. "But there is also his story. The whole village should've been in a total uproar if it was known that someone has stolen the Scroll of Seals. There would've been search parties all over the village, and I think someone else would've thought to check the forest around the village too. This forest should be full of people looking up and down for that scroll, Ms. Uzumaki."

His eyes narrow. "I don't think Naruto stole the Scroll of Seals. I think this has all been an elaborate trap set for _you_, Ms. Uzumaki."

I was wrong. Naruto stealing the Scroll of Seals is not my worst nightmare. This is.

I never thought someone would actually do this, even though it was always in the back of my mind. That someone would kidnap Naruto and then use him as bait to draw me out and then try to kill me. But despite the hostility and fear directed my way, no one seemed to have enough hatred to actually _do_it.

But now, it's just happened. And I've dragged Anko and Sasuke right into it.

"Sasuke, you're staying stuck to me like glue," I say. "We're searching this cabin, and then we're going to go find Anko and Iruka and get to the bottom of this."

I walk right up to the cabin. The lone window at the side of the cabin, right above what looked like a rusty old generator, doesn't help me at all, it's too dark in there.

But then I smell it.

It's faint, but fresh, with a slight iron hint.

I know that smell. Far too well. The Nine-Tails inside me seeming to come to life, relishing that smell, confirms my suspicions just as well as my nose.

Blood.

Oh no.

No, no, no.

It's not true. It can't be true.

Not my son. Anyone but him.

"Sasuke, I smell blood! Stay right with me!"

"I'm right behind you!" Sasuke yells, but I don't wait for him. I can't. If that's Naruto's blood . . .

I run to the front door. I know the door has to be locked. There's no point in even trying the knob. I immediately kick the door off its hinges, sending it flying towards the back wall with a resounding _crash_.

"Naruto!" I shout. "Naruto, are you in here?"

Damn it, the smell of blood is definitely in there. Where's a light? I need some light!

I feel for a switch of any kind. If this place has a generator, it _must _have an electrical system. Come on, you rusty old generator, you better be working!

I flip the switch, and right beside where the door lay, was my son, tied up to a chair, blood dripping down his head and what looked like his hands.

"_Naruto_!"

I run over to him. "Naruto! Naruto! Talk to me! Who did this to you? Naruto! Please say something! _Anything_!"

Please be alive. _Please _be alive. My poor son. My poor Naruto.

Whoever did this is a _monster_, whether it was Mizuki or someone else. How I want to-

"M-Mom," Naruto whispers softly.

He's alive. Oh thank the heavens. He's still alive. He's still here with me, Minato. Your son is still here.

"Naruto." I don't care about the blood all over him, I hug him. "Naruto, I'm here. I'm here. I'm so sorry. I didn't know, Naruto. But I'm here now. Y-You're gonna be okay."

Keep it together. Shake off the tears, Kushina. You can cry when he's at the hospital! Get him free. Cut the ropes and get him free and get him back to Konoha.

As I reach around with a kunai to cut the ropes, I can hear Naruto's weak rasp. He's weakening. Who knows how long he's been out here, slowly bleeding to death.

"I-It's okay, Mom," Naruto says. "I knew you'd come. I knew."

I sniff in a vain attempt to keep myself together, and nearly gag at the strong scent of blood. My _son's _blood. "Just r-relax, Naruto. I'm getting you of here. I-I'm taking you home."

I can hear Sasuke behind me gag. I almost forgot he was here too.

"It's just like . . . four years ago," Sasuke says, his right hand over his mouth, voice a soft, grave whisper, his eyes wide in shock.

I cut Naruto free and pull him from the chair, and he falls into my shoulders and I have to catch him to keep him from sliding down my body right to the floor. He's weak.

Weak and tortured.

Minato, forgive me, please, for what's happened to our son. Please.

"H-Hey Mom," Naruto whispers. He reaches inside his right pocket with his right hand, and pulls out a forehead protector a moment later and puts it right in front of my face.

"I passed. Bottom of my class but I passed, Mom," Naruto says, giving me the brightest smile he can manage.

Even now, even in all of his clear and obvious pain, even after being reduced to a bleeding, broken wreck tied to a chair, he still is thinking about the examination. About showing his success to me.

Oh, Naruto. "I'm proud of you, Naruto. I'm so proud of you. You're amazing. You did such a great job, Naruto. We're gonna talk about this all night at your favorite ramen place. Just like I promised."

Naruto weakly chuckles. "Thanks, Mom."

Then it occurs to me.

Sasuke told me the report was that Naruto _failed_.

Then what could be-

Iruka's voice. From behind us. "I figured you would find him."

I spin around and I see Iruka Umino standing right at the entrance, Sasuke directly in front of him. Sasuke's already taken on a fighting stance.

"You're not Iruka Umino," I say. "Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

Iruka chuckles, and then his form vanishes in a cloud of smoke that rapidly dissipates.

And then I see him.

A young man with silver hair.

"Mizuki-sensei!" Sasuke shouts. "I knew it had to be you!"

Mizuki just chuckles. "You two like my handiwork with Naruto? I'm quite proud of it myself. I made sure to cut him in ways that would leave him alive long enough for me to take you by surprise and kill you, Kushina, and dump your dead body in front of him. But I guess the plan didn't quite work out. You are every bit as stubborn as your son."

Monster. How dare you do this to my son! How dare you!

I can feel the Nine-Tails in me. I want to draw on it. It's been twelve years since I last drew on the Nine-Tails' strength but I want it. I want to _kill _this bastard in front of me and tear him into little pieces!

How dare you touch my son! How dare you cut Naruto up like this and leave him here all alone! What the hell is wrong with you, Mizuki?

I want to scream all of this at Mizuki. But I can't talk. I try to talk and my teeth are too clenched to move. My throat doesn't want to work either.

"Why did you do this?" Sasuke asks.

"Why?" That dark little smile vanishes from Mizuki's face. "Because the son of a _monster_ like Kushina Uzumaki doesn't deserve to become a ninja! And Kushina Uzumaki, the _Nine-Tailed Fox_, doesn't deserve to see it happen either!"

"Ms. Uzumaki is _what_?" Sasuke asks. He looks at me. "_You're_the jinchuuriki I've always heard about?"

"She is!" Mizuki shouts. "She is the one who attacked our village twelve years ago, Sasuke! And she ran away like a _coward_! And yet we allowed this despicable excuse for a human being back into our town! What? Is killing ten and wounding scores more not enough for people?"

"My mom is _not _despicable," Naruto growls under his breath.

"Oh, shove it up your ass, brat," Mizuki snaps back. "You know everything and you're _still _not going to believe that your mother's a monster? You deserved every cut and blow I gave you!"

I look at Naruto, who still looks defiant in spite of his injuries and pain. And he's somehow still on my side. Even after knowing who I am.

Thank you, Naruto. You really are amazing. Thank you.

"Why?" Sasuke asks. "Why now?"

Mizuki takes a few hyperventilating breaths. "I never thought Naruto would ever pass," he spits. "I didn't think he would ever focus enough to graduate from the academy. Even after you had the _gall_ to return to his life, Kushina, I never thought Naruto would get his act together enough to get a passing grade. And yet, somehow, he passed his class by exactly _one _point. One goddamn point!"

Mizuki yells something unintelligible as he punches the side of the entrance with his fist.

"What did you do to Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asks, tears in his eyes.

"I did what I had to do," Mizuki growls back. "Anything to stop you from insulting this village and all of its inhabitants by becoming a genin. And anything to finally avenge Tsubaki and put an end to this stupid charade that your mother has been leading for the last four years!"

"Who's Tsubaki?" I manage to ask despite my closed throat.

"Tsubaki? The love of my life. The girl who, when I first met her, I knew she was the _one_. My only one. And, twelve years ago, Kushina, when she turned into that _thing_, burned over seventy percent of Tsubaki's body! All because Tsubaki, in all of her kindness, tried to get a child out of the way!"

I know the names of the ten people I had killed. I had not seen a list of the total wounded. Part of me just did not want to know. I felt that I would not be able to move on if I knew how many people I had injured but had survived. I would never be able to make it up to Konoha if I stayed absorbed by those I hurt.

Maybe . . . maybe that was the wrong thing to do. Seeing Mizuki here, absolutely devastated and vengeful and desperate, makes me wonder if I had done the right thing by not approaching those I had wounded. I thought that all I'd do is remind them of the pain I've put them through. Would have approaching them, trying to comfort them, been the better option?

Mizuki continues to rant. "For ten years, Tsubaki lived a wretched, horrible, agonizing life. She could not have kids, the burns were too great. She spent _every day_ in the hospital, unable to leave it because the shortest exertion could wind up killing her because Kushina burned away all of Tsubaki's sweat glands. I was there for her, every day, every possible hour, pledging my life to being with her and loving her. But I wasn't good enough. Tsubaki's despair finally won. Tsubaki sliced her wrists open with a _shard of glass _in the middle of the night!"

Mizuki points a finger at me. "_This_ is the true horror of what you've done, Kushina! The Third Hokage excuses you because you _only_ killed ten people! But you ignore the lives you have ruined, _permanently_, because of what you did!"

Mizuki rears back and starts laughing sarcastically, bitterly. "A-And you just have the audacity to come waltzing right back into Konoha like nothing ever happened. You expect us to just sit by? Forget it, monster!"

The raw hatred pouring from this man is overwhelming. I can see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. It's been festering in him for years and finally he just couldn't live with it anymore. He's out to kill me and my son, and whoever gets in his way is just collateral damage.

"Shut up!" Naruto yells. "My mom is not a monster!"

"After everything I've told you, why wouldn't you think so?" Mizuki shouts back.

"Because _you're _the monster, Mizuki-sensei!"

"W-What?" Mizuki's eyes look like they're going to twitch right out of their sockets.

"_You're_ the monster here! My mom loves me and she has done everything she can for me and our village! And I hear everything people say about her, and she doesn't even show a single _bit _of hatred for them! She's still willing to protect them! My mom is the exact opposite of a monster! Believe it!"

That is one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. If anyone should have a grudge against me, it's Naruto. I'm responsible for so much of the misery in his life by my own actions, yet he doesn't hate me at all. He is just thankful I am here. That he has a mother.

I am _not _going to let him down by allowing Mizuki to kill him. I'm going to get Naruto out of here and put Mizuki in his place. Once and for all.

Mizuki reaches behind him and grabs one of the two giant shuriken on his back. "That's it. I'll cut you both in half right where you-"

I brace myself. I'm going to be slower with Naruto, but I have to protect him. Mizuki's war is with _me_, not with my son.

Sasuke steps in front of us, kunai in his hands.

"Get out of the way!" Mizuki shouts. "Didn't you hear a single word I said, Sasuke?"

I can't see Sasuke's face from my perspective, but I can tell by his tone of voice that he's smiling. "I owe Ms. Uzumaki my life, Mizuki-sensei. She fought to save me when my entire clan was killed. I'm afraid I don't consider her a monster either."

"Fine, then you can meet their fate," Mizuki growls. "You can die where you-"

"Fire Style! Fireball Technique!" Sasuke suddenly blasts out a huge wave of fire from his mouth where Mizuki had been standing, there are only flames.

But no screaming, no signs that Mizuki had been hit at all.

The flames quickly dissipate and Sasuke charges outside. "I got him, Ms. Uzumaki! Get Naruto out of here!"

Finally, I can find my voice. "Wait, Sasuke!"

I set Naruto down on the floor. "Wait here, Naruto. I can't let Sasuke get killed. Mizuki is too far above Sasuke's level."

"It's okay," Naruto says. "I know you can do it. You're my mom."

I kiss him on his dirty, bleeding forehead. "I'll be right back, Naruto. Just hang in there."

I run outside, past the smoldering entrance, to see Mizuki perched in a tree. Sasuke, clearly exhausted, stays in a fighting stance below Mizuki, waiting for Mizuki to move next.

"How the hell did you just do that? Your chakra reserves shouldn't have developed so quickly!" Mizuki shouts.

Sasuke chuckles. I don't know if his confidence is merely a front or genuine. "I'm the top of my class for a reason, Mizuki-sensei."

Mizuki is about to attack Sasuke. His fighting stance is too tense.

Move. Move _now_.

I charge right towards the tree and then leap into the air with everything I have. Mizuki barely turns his head in time to see me coming, and his eyes widen.

Too slow.

I punch Mizuki in the gut and then kick him to the ground below.

He flops on the ground and Sasuke runs right up to him, kunai raised and ready to strike. "It's over, Mizuki-sensei! Give up!"

One solitary, dark word. "No."

And then he strikes.

Sasuke sees it coming too late. He jumps away from Mizuki but I see the giant shuriken Mizuki's swinging slice cross Sasuke's blue shirt and clearly cut Sasuke. Grunting in pain, Sasuke falls down, clutching his chest, and then Mizuki look up at me.

And _smiles_.

No. Wait. It's not over injuring Sasuke. I can tell.

Mizuki takes off, charging right past Sasuke . . . and running right for the cabin. He raises his giant shuriken, clearly intending to cut his next target open.

He's going for the cabin. He's going to murder my son.

In his own, twisted way, he must have decided that the only way he has left to avenge Tsubaki is to murder my son.

"_Stop_!" I scream and I leap from the tree.

There's no more thinking. There's no time for that. Just instinct.

Only instinct.

No. No. You are not killing my son.

Don't you dare touch him again.

I won't _let you_!

_You get the hell away from him_!

I land and immediately charge after Mizuki. He's halfway there. He's halfway to my son. I only have a few seconds. Just a few seconds.

Get there! Go fast as you can! Get to Mizuki before he gets to Naruto! Don't stop! Don't even _think_about what you're doing! Stop him!

He turns around just as he's five feet away from the cabin. His left eye, the only one visible from my angle, widens in surprise.

And then I punch him in the face.

Mizuki is airborne, and then he crashes to the ground.

That it? That's all you can do?

Get up. Get the hell up, Mizuki.

He's on his hands and knees already, after one punch? Pathetic. What a pathetic man. Why should I be surprised? He's the one who decided to abuse _my son_.

He's not going to get the opportunity to abuse my son or anyone else's child.

He's not going to avenge his "Tsubaki" .

It ends. Right here. Right now.

I march over there and pull him up by his flak vest and then I hit him again.

And again.

And again.

I punch him and I kick him over and over and _over_. I can't stop. I can't make myself stop. Every time I hit him my vision grows blurrier and blurrier and it _just _occurs to me that I'm crying as I hit Mizuki to the point where he's a bloodier mess than Naruto and Sasuke combined. And I still can't stop.

All I can think about are the hours of agonizing pain he forced upon Naruto, how he tried to break my son spiritually and physically. Kidnapping him, torturing him, punishing him for the mere fact that he is _my son_.

How he, in his cowardly, pathetic way, decides to fight Sasuke, a _twelve-year-old boy_. How he charges right to Naruto instead of fighting me, the source of all of his despair and hatred.

He makes me sick.

He makes me _furious_.

He makes me feel like I'm the worst mother in the whole world because he had possession of my son for so long and even now, I only _just _stopped him from reaching Naruto.

And I take it all out on him.

I break his jaw. I break his teeth. I break his nose. I break his ribs. I can faintly hear him crying and sobbing in pain. He may even be blubbering for mercy.

Which is the most disgusting and pathetic part of all.

He lost the right to mercy by trying to murder my son like he just did. He lost the right to mercy just by kidnapping Naruto in the first place. For torturing him and leaving him all alone in a dark, strange building, trying to make Naruto believe that I would not come for him. That no one would care enough to save my son.

As long as I am alive, Naruto will always be loved, and he will always have someone to catch him when he falls!

I won't abandon my son again, much less let someone harm him!

I will never allow a piece of raw _filth _like Mizuki to hurt my son again! He dies, right here, right now!

I reach for my kunai. I can't tell where Mizuki's head or neck is anymore, I can barely see through my tears, but I'm going to kill him. I'm going to stab him somewhere, and if that doesn't kill him, I'll stab him again. And again. And again. Until Mizuki draws out his last agonizing breath and his soul is sent to the lowest region of hell where it belongs.

I hear shrieking. Horrible, pained shrieking. Is that my voice? Is that me?

It must be. It sounds female. Has to be my voice.

I raise the kunai above my head. I can hear a male voice above the female voice's cries and sobs. It sounds broken and mashed and desperate and _miserable_. Mizuki, making one last gasp, begging for the mercy I do not have in me? Has to be. The male voice sounds too old to be Sasuke or Naruto.

You pitiful piece of garbage, Mizuki. This is too good for you. You deserve to _rot_in some isolated cell for the rest of your miserable little life!

But I can't help myself. All I can think about is protecting Naruto.

And that means . . . I have to kill Mizuki. I have no choice.

He has to die!

"_Mom, stop_!"

Naruto?

I look to my left, just slightly behind me, and I see Naruto, clutching his side, staggering and leaning back and forth.

"Mom, please stop. It's over. Don't kill him."

"N-Naruto." My voice sounds wobbly and wretched. I stagger to my feet, the kunai falling out of my hands. My son is trying to hobble towards me. He doesn't have the strength for that. He's too exhausted, too weak.

I run over and catch Naruto in my arms as he stumbles and falls, and I immediately kneel on both of my knees to give Naruto as comfortable of support as possible.

"Naruto. Naruto." I bury my head in Naruto's left shoulder. My poor son. He never deserved any of this. Not from a supposed "teacher".

"You don't need to kill him, Mom," Naruto whispers softly. "It's okay. We're all going to be okay. You saved all of us"

I rub Naruto's cheek with my left hand. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I-I'm going to g-get you to a h-hospital, okay? J-Just hang in there."

"I will. Believe it," he whispers.

I hear a loud, masculine wail behind me, and I turn my head to see Mizuki struggling.

My vision has cleared enough to see what I have done to him. There is blood all over his face, and he's flopping on the ground, his left arm and both of his legs bent in unnatural positions. His jaw is hanging open, and his right arm is clutching his chest.

I've almost beaten him to death without once drawing on the power of the Nine-Tails.

I see Sasuke walking over, his right hand still pressed on his chest, right towards Mizuki. Sasuke stands over Mizuki, as if mesmerized.

Mizuki's one good limb, his right arm, reaches for Sasuke and Sasuke backs away, fear evident in his eyes.

"Sasuke! Over here!" I cry, desperately, so Sasuke won't have to deal with this anymore than he already has.

Sasuke looks at me, then looks at Mizuki's flailing body, and then slowly comes over to me, his back turned to me as he continued to watch Mizuki flop around and cry and wail and scream.

"How bad is your injury?" I ask.

"A scratch," Sasuke says softly. "He didn't hit me. Not that hard."

He pauses. "Make it stop. Please."

I'm sorry, Sasuke. I don't know how.

And then, mercifully, I see a dart hit Mizuki and he falls unconscious in a few seconds. Considering his chest is still rising up and down, that wasn't a poisonous dart, but rather a tranquilizer. Though I doubt Mizuki will have any tranquility once he reawakens and discovers what I have done to him.

"Damn, Kushina," I hear Anko from up above. She appears in the next second, jumping off the cabin roof and landing in front of me. "Don't you think that was overkill?"

She turns and looks at me, and then her face softens. "Oh, Kushina."

"H-He was . . . he was . . ." I can't even talk anymore. Not after what just happened.

"I know." Anko takes a deep breath and exhales. "I know."

Naruto moans and I catch him yet again and cradle him in my arms. He's so tired. In so much pain. My poor son.

"I have medics on the way, and reinforcements," Anko says. "I'll explain everything after we get everyone to the hospital. We'll be okay, Kushina."

I want to talk, but I can't. My throat just won't work.

But I know what I would say.

That even though I have beaten Mizuki, he got the best of me in one way. One single, yet meaningful, way.

That even without the Nine-Tailed Fox inside me, that I am capable of brutality just as bad as anything Mizuki did to try to kill me and Naruto.

In that sense . . .

Mizuki is the one who won, even though he technically lost.

And that is something I can't forgive myself for.

* * *

Ah, the fake-out. One of my favorite fanfic tricks.


	8. New Beginnings

Merry Christmas.

If you want me to acknowledge you when you are trashing my fic, please get an account. Don't troll and call my fic crap under a guest account, use a real account to trash me. Especially when you are missing the point of the whole story. I am willing to have a conversation with you, and acknowledge your criticism of me, but get a real account if you're going to take a sledgehammer to the story.

And if you think I'm crazy enough to pair Kushina and Sasuke, you need psychiatric help.

Fayneir: There is something called "protagonist-centered morality". Both Kushina and Mizuki have very different ideas as to what morality is and what is justice. Mizuki feels that Kushina stole away someone he loved, so he was going to kill Naruto for his vengeance. Kushina would be more sympathetic if Mizuki had opted to go straight for her instead of taking it out on her son. Keep in mind that Sasuke is the son of Kushina's best friend as well when you consider Kushina's morality. She has an obligation to protect Sasuke because of her friendship with Mikoto.

* * *

**Chapter Eight: New Beginnings**

"Aw, come on, Mom! Do I really gotta stay here for tonight? I wanna go home!"

"They want you here one more night for observation, Naruto," I reply. "Same with Sasuke. You're not being singled out."

Naruto scoffs. "Pretty boy Sasuke? I'm not surprised about _him_. He's a wimp, always mopin' around."

"He came with me to help save your life, Naruto," I reply, making sure to sound more stern to send Naruto the message. "He is not."

"Hmmph," Naruto growls, folding his copiously bandaged arms. The medical-nin, as usual, have done incredible work, greatly accelerating the healing process. Naruto and Sasuke will both be healed in time to discover which of the three-man cells they will be joining as genin, junior ninja ready to be trained.

I've made sure to stay at Naruto's side as much as possible. The hospital didn't want him up and moving from his bed, in the event he aggravated his injuries while moving along. Sasuke, however, was given permission to walk around the hospital while supervised. I'm sure that was getting on Naruto's nerves too.

"Look, I made you some bento," I say, handing him a box containing my meal. "I know you want to go to your favorite ramen place. We will still go, Naruto, once you're better. I promise."

Naruto takes the box and smiles. "Thanks, Mom. Your cooking is great no matter what it is."

"You're welcome," I say, managing to smile.

What's lurking in the back of my mind is that Naruto knows the truth now. He knows I have the Nine-Tails inside me, that I am the jinchuuriki, that I was the one who attacked the village twelve years ago, the night he was born. Now he has to understand the pain he felt for all of those years. Living his life lonely and isolated as people punished him for my mistakes, my sins. How does he feel, knowing that so many people consider me a monster, that I am just a time bomb, waiting to lose control and attack Konoha all over again?

Should I ask him? So I can know once and for all? Does he even want to talk about it? He seems perfectly normal, like typical Naruto, shoveling down his food, but he _has _to be thinking about it, doesn't he?

He _has_ told me about the final examination, with Iruka-sensei and Mizuki both proctoring the test. It had been on the Clone Technique, which is something Naruto has always struggled with. One of his clones had been off-color, and the other one wasn't able to breathe, which I'm sure was a lovely sight for Iruka and Mizuki to witness. But he had made so much progress, and he _had _met the target of three clones, that he passed by one point.

And shortly afterwards, before Naruto had the chance to celebrate or even show his headband off, is when Mizuki got his hands on him. Naruto had been one of the very last to go. It wouldn't surprise me if Mizuki had rigged the order somehow to ensure Naruto was one of the last to take the examination.

Naruto passing is wonderful. I've tried so hard to make Naruto focus on his studies, to practice with him and tutor him and try to get him to pass. Naruto just can't stand sitting in the classroom, he doesn't pay attention. He falls asleep, daydreams, goes hyper, pranks the teacher, you name it. And then Anko and I have to quiz him and teach him ourselves, using what little Naruto can remember from class to get him to pass. But it's just not enough by itself. Naruto, in the end, controls his own destiny.

I want the best for Naruto. I want him to achieve his dreams. I was worried for a while that Naruto, despite his determination, just would not be able to do it. But he has. He has the forehead protector with the Leaf Village's insignia emblazoned in the middle of the silver-colored armor. He did it.

I just wish that we could have celebrated like a normal family instead of sitting here in a hospital room.

But we will never be normal. It's because of the Nine-Tails. As long as I have it sealed inside me we can never be normal.

But I could've tried to give Naruto something resembling normal so much earlier. It's been burned in my memory, newborn Naruto wailing in Mikoto's arms, and then him opening his eyes when he heard my voice, him settling down when he saw my face. He knew I was his mother, even back then, even in spite of all the violence. That should've been enough to make me stay. It just should've been enough.

Mizuki is a coward for doing what he did, but how am I better? My child clearly needed me back then and I chose to _run_. How am I better than Mizuki when I run away from my own child because of my fear and guilt?

And I never would have returned to Naruto's life if Mikoto herself did not come to my cabin and persuade me to return. That is the truth. I was prepared to spend the rest of my life alone, despising myself, wondering how my child was doing but not having the courage to return and find out for myself.

I needed to be _prodded _to see Naruto again.

Minato, what's wrong with me? Do you know?

I wish you could answer me, my love. I really wish you could. Sometimes I see a vestige of you in my dreams, standing tall in the middle of a mist, illuminated by a golden light, your back turned to me. But every time I call out to you, and it seems you will answer, I always wake up.

I wish I could hear your answer, Minato. Even if it's something that should be glaringly obvious to me but somehow I just don't see it. Just to hear your voice one more time.

Naruto is halfway through his bento when I look at him again. And then, I just know I have to ask. I have to ask how he feels about knowing. How he feels that I killed ten people and wounded so many more and am ultimately responsible for the loneliness and pain he has suffered.

My lips tremble and my throat doesn't want to work. I don't want to cry _again _in front of my son, but I can't help it.

"N-Naruto . . . can you answer me something?"

"Huh?" Naruto looks up at me, his chopsticks at the edge of his mouth, his cheeks bulging like a chipmunk's. "What are you . . ."

Naruto swallows with an audible _gulping _sound. "What's wrong, Mom?"

"Naruto . . . you know the truth, don't you? How do you feel about it? That I'm the jinchuuriki who lost control twelve years ago, the very night you were born, that rampaged throughout Konoha? All I was doing that night was to try to _save _you, Naruto, but I was so angry and I let the demon inside me influence me or take me over."

Naruto doesn't say anything, he just stares, his eyes wide.

"I-I'm the one who did this to you, Naruto. I couldn't keep control of myself. I lost a-all awareness of . . . of friend or foe, or even where I was _going_. I killed and wounded the very people I am supposed to _protect_. And . . . and when confronted with the _reality_ of what I did, Naruto . . . I ran. I ran away from you, I ran away from Konoha, I ran away from _everything_."

Naruto still doesn't say anything.

"N-Naruto, I know you said you forgave me for being absent for the first eight years of your life. But you d-didn't know the full truth. I-I know you have the full truth now, Naruto, and-"

"Mom." Naruto's hands reach out and grip my own on the bed. "Mom, it's okay."

"Huh?" I look into his eyes.

He smiles gently. "I think I always knew."

I can't believe what he just said. "Y-You did? T-Then why didn't you ever say anything?"

"Because it doesn't matter." He chuckles lightly. "What matters is that _you _are my mom. And, well, that you came back."

His smile grows wider, and his cheeks turn just a _little _red, as if he's thinking of something embarrassing. "I . . . every time I had a birthday, Mom . . . I made a wish. My first wish was that I could have family. Any kind of family. Just so I wouldn't be by myself all the time. A week after I turned five, and I got in trouble because that store guy didn't like how I was drawing on his plain old clay pots . . . that's when Anko showed up and creamed the jerk. And then we got set up in the same apartment, and . . . and she just turned into my sister after a while. She was a wish that came true."

He pauses, his grip on my hands loosen for just a moment, and his face turns even redder. He seems almost to be on the brink of tears, but he was forcing himself to hide them. "After that, I had a new wish. My next wish . . . was that I could be with my parents. Or even just one of them. Even if it was just for one single day. I wanted to be like everyone else, stuck-up Ino or pretty boy Sasuke or bowling ball Choji, to come home and at least have _one _parent waiting for me. I just wanted to know what that felt like, not being an orphan."

My heart beats so fast it hurts. Naruto's been fairly open emotionally to me, but he's never told me this. Not even once, not even a hint of it.

"Mom, to me, you are a wish that's come true and it's stayed true for four years. And even if there's a fox demon inside you, I know you are a good person, and that you are going to do whatever it takes to keep us all safe. That's what counts. Believe it."

"Thank you, Naruto."

I can't help myself. I reach my arms around Naruto and hug him tightly. I can't get my voice above a whisper but it doesn't matter. I love my wonderful son, and all of his qualities.

"Not so tight, not so tight," Naruto gasps out.

"Sorry." I separate from him, mindful of his bandages.

"You know," says a familiar voice behind me, "That was the cheesiest thing I've ever heard, Naruto."

I turn around and I see Anko Mitarashi leaning against the wall right by the entrance to his room.

Naruto chuckles and scratches the back of his head. "You heard all of it, huh?"

Anko just smiles. "Don't worry about it. I'm pretty cheesy myself, soul brother. And I appreciate being thought of that way, as a dream come true."

She walks over to the bed. "Though I've been giving thought to becoming a nightmare for about twenty seconds."

"Huh?" Naruto asks, his eyes widen.

"This is for getting yourself captured, you idiot!"

Anko sits on the bed, grabs Naruto's head, and begins to give him her patented noogies.

"Agh! Anko! Stop it, stop it! You're gonna make me bald! I get the point! Mom, help me!" Naruto wails.

"Anko," I say. "Naruto _is _still hurt. Don't aggravate his injuries."

"Y-Yeah, what she said! I'm so hurt and stuff! Please stop!" Naruto wails.

Anko finally stops and lets Naruto loose, and Naruto falls on his pillow, breathing a sigh of relief.

There's no smile on Anko's face anymore. "You scared the crap out of me, Naruto! Don't do that to me and your mother ever again, you hear me?"

"Okay, okay, I get it, I'm sorry!" Naruto rubs the top of his head. "Why'd you wait to do this in front of Mom, anyway?"

"I was too relieved you were alive to punish you," Anko says haughtily. "But here. My token of appreciation that you're okay."

"Huh?" Naruto asks, looking bewildered.

Anko leans in close to his right cheek. "Special Leaf Village Love Technique: Soul Sister Kiss."

"Ah-wha?" Naruto's face turns beet-red as Anko kisses him deeply on the cheek.

Anko chuckles as she backs off, and Naruto makes a lot of unintelligible noises that I can't tell if he's embarrassed, angry, appreciative, or some strange, idiosyncratic combination of all three.

It feels odd, to watch a grown woman not related to either of us kiss my child in such a way. I hope that, if Anko does indeed achieve her slim chances of becoming Naruto's teacher in a three-man genin cell, she doesn't do this to Naruto. It won't help Naruto gain any respect from his other two comrades, that's for sure.

At the same time, Anko _is _family, spiritually. She has the right to love Naruto, and she has the right to embarrass him too, within reason. She raised Naruto by herself for three of his twelve years, and now that he's twelve, she has been a familial presence for more than half his life. Anko has more than earned the privilege of being considered family, even if it is not legally official.

"Anko!" Naruto finally whines.

"Go finish your bento, Naruto. I'm taking over for your mom for the next few hours. I'm sure she's exhausted," Anko says.

"Uh . . . all right." Naruto's cheeks are still flushed as he resumes eating his dinner, and Anko puts her hand on my shoulder.

"Can I talk to you for a sec outside?" Anko asks.

"Certainly." I walk out of the room with Anko at my side, but not without turning back to look at my son one final time.

He looks up, a mouth full of food, and waves at me. "Bye, Mom," he manages through his stuffed mouth.

"Bye, Naruto. I'll be back in the morning."

It feels good to know that Naruto and I will see each other again.

The feeling of almost losing my son for good is a good reminder for me to never take anything for granted . . . and that includes my son's safety.

I can only hope that _I'll _be okay when Naruto starts taking on C-ranked missions . . .

* * *

After closing the door behind Naruto, Anko leads me a few doors down, and finally leans against the wall and sighs. "I'm sorry. It's not finalized yet, so I don't want to say this in front of Naruto. I want this to be a surprise."

"What is it?" I ask.

Anko smiles warmly. "If it does get finalized, Naruto's going to have to get used to calling me 'Anko-sensei' in a couple of days."

It takes a moment for what Anko says to register. "You're going to be Naruto's team leader, Anko? Congratulations!"

Anko is young, but I feel a bit safer knowing she's in charge of my son's safety than some stranger. Anko will lay down her life to keep Naruto safe. I don't know if some stranger, who may have a grudge against me, would put Naruto before himself or anyone else. It's not that a proverbial stranger could conspire to kill Naruto, but not necessarily care about my son's survival because of his hatred or dislike of me.

Anko chuckles. "Yep. I went right up to the Hokage and requested it myself."

"You didn't beg, did you?" I ask.

Anko gives me a weird look. "No, of course not! Who the hell do you think I am? I made a very forceful and determined request that, in light of what just happened, that out of concern for Naruto's safety and _your _safety, as well as the well-being of the other two genin in Naruto's unit, that I should be their leader. The Hokage said that he needs a replacement for Kakashi Hatake, who's going on a some kind of secret mission. So he congratulated me for having the courage to make such a direct request, and said he'd strongly consider me."

I have a weird thought that Kakashi's mission is the mission I turned down from Hiruzen. It wouldn't surprise me. Hiruzen seemed genuinely worried about Mikoto and her motivations a couple of days ago.

"So Kakashi would've been Naruto's team leader?" I ask.

"Yes. He's apparently quite strict. His team acceptance test is apparently so difficult that not a single cell has passed it."

Sounds like Naruto has _seriously _lucked out. Not that I'm expecting Anko to go easy on Naruto. Anko's smart enough to know she can't play favorites, even when she's in charge of her "soul brother". Playing favorites is an easy way to get genin killed, especially when they are taking on C and B-ranked missions for the first time.

I know Anko will flunk Naruto if she feels he is not ready. She has already done so, when Naruto was struggling to pass the Ninja Academy examination the first time. Naruto had been openly rebellious about the assignments, and outright refused to do them, but at the same time wanted help to pass. Anko would not provide it and she convinced me to not help Naruto either because the message of failure would drive the point home to Naruto that he simply _needed to study_. Naruto understood the message immediately after flunking and he made significant strides as a student after that.

"Have you given any thoughts towards what your test will be?" I ask.

"I bumped into Kakashi afterwards, oddly enough, and asked him for tips and advice. He gave me the lowdown on what his test typically is, and some of his tricks to try to force the best out of the genin." Anko's smile turns devious, devilish. "I can't wait to try out a certain trick in particular."

Uh oh. "Do I want to know what this 'trick' is?" I ask.

"You'll know what it is if I get the chance to show it off," Anko replies. "It's a _doozy_."

Hoo boy. Something tells me that Anko is going to have just a _little _too much fun with Naruto and the other poor genin she's testing.

"I'm gonna make a couple of changes to the test, try to make it my own," Anko says. "Make them work a little harder in some ways, but be a little easier on them in a couple of other ways, so."

"What is the test?" I ask.

Anko smiles. "It's a secret. You and Mikoto are invited to watch if you want, though. Just don't help them."

"Okay, sure," I reply. Then it hits me. "Wait, why would Mikoto . . . _Sasuke_?"

"Yup. The teams have to be balanced, so the worst student and the best student at the Academy are basically automatically paired up," Anko says. "So I gonna get both of them and I _think _a girl named Sakura Haruno. I dunno who _she_is, she kept a low profile at the Academy I guess."

Anko scratches the back of her head in that Naruto-esque way, and she seems to blush. "Of course, like I said, this could all mean nothing, ya know. So don't be shocked if like I'm not their team leader after all."

"Well, if you get the assignment, congratulations," I reply, and smile at her. "I know you will take good care of Naruto, Sasuke, and this 'Sakura' girl."

"You know it. Or, as Naruto likes to say, 'believe it'."

I chuckle. "Thanks. Well, I'm going to go check in on Sasuke, then I'll head home. See you later!"

"Sounds good. See ya, Kushina." Anko gives me a casual wave, and then walks away, heading down to Naruto's room.

Anko's only twenty-one years old. She would undoubtedly be the youngest jonin in charge of a cell. But at the same time, who can teach Naruto as well as the girl who has been caring for him and tutoring him for the last seven years? I just hope Anko has enough maturity and patience for not only Naruto's quirks, but the quirks of Sasuke and Sakura Haruno. Otherwise I can see this assignment coming to a _crashing _halt.

Just as I leave, I realize I forgot to tell Naruto that he's in trouble for that 'Sexy Technique' of his.

Ah, well. I'll tell him when he gets out of the hospital. He just needs to concentrate on healing.

I just hope Sasuke is okay.

* * *

Sasuke had already been checked and released from the hospital when I went in to visit him. I guess Sasuke is all right after all. There was no other reason to stay in the hospital, so I made plans to leave when I saw the room where they had Mizuki staying.

He was nearly in a full body cast, including his mouth. Only his right arm seemed to be fully functioning, and there was a pad of paper on an elevated, angled desk. It took me a moment to realize that this was the only way for Mizuki to communicate with those who cared for him or visited him.

I've reduced him to the point where he can't even talk anymore. And that was without the Nine-Tails' power.

It's not just the Nine-Tailed Fox that I have to worry about. That's why I can't just dismiss my rampage as something solely committed by the Nine-Tails. Look at what I'm capable of doing without drawing on a single bit of chakra from the demon inside me. This is a result of my anger, of my panic, of my own inner viciousness.

I've reduced Mizuki into this broken wreck.

I walk into the room. I feel like I should apologize somehow for what I have done to him, even though it was done in the defense of my son. Did Mizuki really deserve to be _this _broken, in the end? He was going to get justice for the attempted murder of both Naruto and Sasuke, that was for sure, but did he need all of these physical injuries to add more pain to his sentence?

Mizuki stirs, and I freeze. His eyes turn to look at me, and they widen.

His right hand grabs the pen and he creates a messy scrawl on the paper pad.

_Don't kill me_

I can only stare. I'm amazed he doesn't want to die, not after being reduced to this. There is no way he'll ever be a ninja again. I am sure I have not just shattered bones, but many important ligiments. Permanent injuries that just will not recover.

_I don't want to die_

_Please I just want to go home_

_I just want to see Tsubaki's grave one more time_

"I'm not going to kill you," I finally say.

_You're not_

"I'm not."

Mizuki tears the paper up and starts on the next sheet.

_What do you want_

A tear falls out of his right eye. I can't help but feel some sympathy for this man.

"You were going to murder my son. Why choose him and not me?"

_Because I wanted you to feel the way I do_

"Wasn't your original plan to kill me and give my body to Naruto?"

_That plan was ruined because I was sent with Anko I had to improvise_

Anko had told me that she had let Mizuki take the lead, and she had been hit with some type of disorientation jutsu without her noticing. She was led around in circles and at some point Mizuki did a Substitution Technique. Anko was left following a substitute while Mizuki doubled back to track Sasuke and I down at the cabin where he had imprisoned Naruto. Eventually, Anko realized what was going on and touched the substitute, it popped and she realized the truth immediately and began charging around looking for us. But she had no clue where we were until she heard the sounds of battle, right when Sasuke had launched his Fireball Technique at Mizuki.

Mizuki continues to write.

_I knew I couldn't fight you head-on_

_Look at what you did to me _

_I was just hoping I could kill Naruto before you reached me_

A pause, then Mizuki tears the sheet down and continues writing.

_And if you lost control and turned into the Nine-Tails after Naruto's death then you would just confirm everything everyone has thought about you for the last twelve years_

_That you are just a monster _

_If nothing else I wanted you to confirm that for everyone else_

"Is that really your opinion of me? That I'm just some monster?"

_I think you are a mother and you protected your child_

I put my hand in front of my mouth to stifle the gasp. I'm not going to give Mizuki the satisfaction of any surprise or vulnerability coming from me.

_I hate you because of the way you made Tsubaki suffer for so long_

_But I think I hate myself more _

_I couldn't give Tsubaki what she wanted _

_I wasn't good enough for her I wasn't enough to save her _

_I wasn't enough for her to want to live _

_I can't help but wonder what I did wrong _

_I just don't know _

_I just wish she was still here _

_If she was still here then I don't think I would've done this_

Mizuki tears off another sheet.

_So go on_

_Do whatever you want_

_But there are others worse than me _

Mizuki taps his small pen on the pad for a few seconds, and then continues.

_That's right_

_I will not be the last_

_There will be more_

_They will come for you_

_For him_

"I am ready for that," I reply.

_No you are not_

_You won't stop them all_

_You can't_

_Now go away_

_I don't want to see you ever again_

"I understand. Farewell, Mizuki. Maybe someday I will see you back on your feet."

Mizuki responds by writing a string of violent expletives.

Have to get the last shot at me, do you, Mizuki? Fine. I'll give you that much.

I walk away and leave Mizuki alone in the room just like he wants. I hear him tear off the last sheet of paper as I leave. and I know that what he just wrote will literally become garbage.

I know there will be people worse than Mizuki along the way. There's the infamous Orochimaru out there, for one. And then Itachi Uchiha who murdered his entire clan. I just have to be ready for them when they come for me or my son.

I won't let them have Naruto. Even if I have to draw on the Nine-Tails again, I won't let "them" whoever and wherever they are, hurt or kill my son. I just have to make sure that I don't allow the Nine-Tailed Fox to take over again like what happened twelve years ago.

And Mizuki just proves there is something else I have to work towards.

Redemption.

I have to redeem myself in their eyes as well as my own for attacking Konoha twelve years ago. But I know I can. No matter where the enemies are, and no matter how worse it gets . . .

I know it can be done. Will be done.

And Mizuki can just watch from his hospital bed while it happens.

I just hope that he'll be the last villager of Konoha who'll have to watch me from such a lonely place.

And maybe one day, even if it is fifty years from now, even Mizuki will forgive me.


	9. Testing the Teacher

Yup, double update as Christmas update. Sounds fun, don't it?

* * *

**Chapter Nine: Testing the Teacher**

"I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait!" Naruto paces around the kitchen table so quickly I'm amazed he isn't dizzy. "I can't wait! Today's the day! Today's when I'm going to find out who my team leader is and who's on my team."

"Who are you hoping for is on your team, Naruto?" I ask.

"Huh?" Naruto stops walking, and then looks up at the ceiling. "I dunno, actually . . . just as long as it isn't pretty boy Sasuke."

I don't have the heart to tell him that one of his teammates is virtually guaranteed to be "pretty-boy Sasuke" if Anko's information is correct.

Speaking of Anko, she interrupts. "Well, let's narrow it down a little. Are there any girls you would hope for?"

"There's this blonde girl named Ino . . . she's _really _stuck up. And then there's Hinata . . . very creepy, always staring at me with the weirdest grin on her face and always blushing and looking away from me. I don't like it."

Personally, that sounds like this Hinata girl is crushing on Naruto hard, but I'll let Naruto figure that part out in time.

"And there's sheepdog-bangs Sakura, always hiding in the back of the class, never talkin' to anybody . . . she's cute I guess but she's even creepier than Hinata. I don't know. I don't like any of the girls at the Academy."

Anko sighs. "Go figure. Do I even want to know your opinion on the boys?"

"As long as I'm not stuck with Sasuke I don't really care what boy is on my team," Naruto replies. "I'm gonna be better than any of them. I'm gonna be Hokage. Believe it."

I once had dreams of being the first female Hokage myself. That was before the Nine-Tailed Fox was forced into my life and I had to become the jinchuuriki. I won't fault Naruto for being ambitious, but there's a good chance he might have to take my place someday. And I doubt they'll let a jinchuuriki rule over Konoha as long as my rampage remains in memory.

"Well," Anko says with a chuckle, "You're gonna have to start off as a genin and work your way up to Hokage the hard way. Believe _that_."

"You always gotta make it sound so hard," Naruto whines.

"That's 'cause it _is _hard, Naruto," Anko replies. "No one is going to hand you the Hokage position. You're going to need to work incredibly hard and deal with a lot of responsibility. You're going to need to prove yourself over and over just for the right to be considered."

"And I will do that!" Naruto replies confidently. "I'll do it as many times as it takes!"

"That's the spirit," Anko says. "Now get your butt to the Ninja Academy. I'm sure you want to know who your teammates are as soon as possible."

"As long as it isn't pretty boy Sasuke or one of the creepy girls, I'm happy with anyone," Naruto says confidently. "But yeah. I guess I shouldn't get on Iruka-sensei's nerves today. He just got out of the hospital himself."

"Thank you for being considerate, Naruto," I reply.

Naruto chuckles. "Well, you know . . ."

He runs towards the door. "All right, see you both later!"

"Bye!" Anko waves at Naruto as he opens the door and charges outside.

Anko sighs. "I wish I could become Hokage too, but I know it's not going to happen. Not as long as I have this curse mark on my neck."

"Has it been bothering you at all lately?" I ask.

"No," Anko says. "I have it looked at a lot, just to make sure that nothing's changed. It hasn't. It's just there, dormant."

Anko looks down. "I hope it stays that way."

"Don't let yourself get down. Look at Naruto. Just a few days after being captured by Mizuki and he's back to his old self just like that, " I say.

"It'll take more than a psychotic teacher to break Naruto's spirit," Anko replies confidently. "He's a strong kid. Foolhardy, but I think he's strong enough to push through anything that gets in his way."

Anko chuckles as she pulls out a list. "But he's gonna have a rough time with me tomorrow. He's gonna have to pass my test, and I'm not going to make it easy on him."

"So you _did _get the assignment," I say. "That's great!"

I put my arm around Anko's shoulders. "So Anko Mitarashi has finally become a responsible adult. How does it feel?"

Anko blushes. "Um . . . like I'm gonna go gray faster than you are."

I laugh. Poor Anko. The true gravity of what she just volunteered for is only beginning to hit her. But she can handle it. I'm pretty sure she can.

"You'll be fine. You know what your genin are, right?"

"Uh, yeah. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura Haruno," Anko replies.

"I know you'll be a _great _teacher for Naruto," I say. "The teachers he listened to the most was you and I anyway. It works out."

Anko chuckles. "True."

She looks at me. "You and Mikoto are invited to watch both my first meeting with them _and _their test tomorrow, by the way. I tried reaching out to Sakura's parents but neither responded to me, but I'd like you and Mikoto to watch. I actually feel more comfortable with an audience if that makes sense."

"The point of being a ninja is _not _to have an audience," I reply.

Anko laughs. "True. Again."

But she just shakes her head. "Just sayin'. Go check out the northwest bridge at about one o'clock in the afternoon. That's when we're going to be doing the meet-and-greet stuff."

"I'll be there," I reply.

Anko sticks out her hand. "Thank you for everything, Kushina. If you never returned, I'd still be a chuunin doing C-ranks right now. Your presence gave me the confidence to take risks again. If you weren't here I'd never have tried to become a full jonin."

I shake her hand. "I'm glad I'm here too, Anko. I should've been here all along."

"Don't worry about that. I was gonna run away too," Anko says, and she lets go of my hand. "Don't worry about what could've been, Kushina. We're never going to have the chance to change anything from back then. It's over. It's done. But we still have the future to change."

"Now you sound like Naruto," I say.

Anko smiles. "I know."

She turns to leave. "I'll see you later, okay? And trust me, I'll keep Naruto safe, no matter what the mission, or who the enemies are. I don't know if Naruto can become Hokage, but I know he will become a great ninja. And I'm honored that I'll be the one that'll train him to become a chuunin."

She walks up to the door and opens him. "I'll see you later, Kushina, okay?"

"I'll see you at the northwest bridge at one o'clock," I reply.

Anko's smile grows just a little wider. "Thank you. Bye!"

She leaves, closing the door behind her.

Anko's matured, just a little, in the last four years. I know she can handle the additional responsibility. She's had plenty of practice at it, caring for Naruto by herself for three years. If that doesn't get her ready for teaching genin I don't know what will, other than pure experience.

But I should watch. If nothing else, just to see how Naruto fits in with Sasuke and the ever-mysterious Sakura Haruno.

If I know my son, it's going to be interesting. That's for sure . . .

* * *

Mikoto was at the northwest bridge as well. Both of us made sure to stand aside, a few feet away by a building, to allow Anko and the children some room for privacy when they finally showed up.

"I haven't talked with you for a while," I say.

"I'm still not in the mood to talk to you," Mikoto says softly. "You put my son in danger."

Which is true, but she doesn't need to be so _harsh_about it.

"He volunteered for it," I say. "He wants to prove himself, Mikoto. And he actually had the upper hand on Mizuki for a little bit. If he can already put a chuunin like Mizuki on the ropes, he's going to be an incredible ninja."

"I am not happy his teacher is Anko," Mikoto replies. "She's too impulsive and I fear she will just encourage Sasuke to take unnecessary risks. I need Sasuke to have awareness of his responsibility to survive. The Uchiha Clan is on the brink of extinction. I doubt I'll ever re-marry and have another child. It's going to be up to Sasuke to ensure this."

Please don't tell me you're trying to force Sasuke to already pick out a girl to marry. He's only twelve years old. Can't he worry about other things for a while before he has to think about marrying a girl?

I don't say this to Mikoto though. She's not happy with me, and it's understandable. Instead, I say "I trust Sasuke to survive. He's a smart kid. Top of his class. I don't think you need to worry about him at all."

Mikoto scoffs. "Yes, I do. Anko's too young. She's going to come off as an older sister, one of the so-called 'gang', not as their mentor figure. She is not going to help Sasuke become a mature, responsible adult who'll keep the clan alive after I'm gone."

Does Mikoto need to keep killing the mood? I'm trying to be optimistic, here. "Mikoto, Anko helped raise Naruto. She knows all about responsibility, I am sure that-"

"Speaking of Anko, here she comes," Mikoto says.

Anko walks past us, and she looks somewhat embarrassed. Then the three kids follow her, and they look embarrassed too.

Okay, what happened?

"All right," Anko says, sounding every bit as embarrassed as she looks, "Let's . . . forget about what happened in the classroom, interrupting Iruka's speech and all that."

"You entered by jumping through a window, breaking it and sending glass flying everywhere, and had a flag behind you that said 'ultimate jonin teacher Anko Mitarashi'. You did a _lot _more than 'interrupt Iruka's speech'," Sasuke replies.

"That . . . was included in the 'all that' part," Anko says, her face beet red.

I can hear Mikoto groan next to me. I feel like groaning myself. That was typical of Anko, jumping the gun whenever she's doing something she finds exciting. I guess I shouldn't be surprised she did that, though. I hope it's just the excitement and nerves, and she'll get the hang of being the leader of a three-man genin team after a short while.

Anko clears her throat. "_Anyway_, I brought you out here because I know you're all sick of the classroom at this point. Which is good. It's all outside from this point forward, guys."

"Yes!" Naruto cheers from Sasuke's right.

"Naruto, no interrupting," Anko snaps.

"R-Right Anko," Naruto says.

Anko glares at him.

"Anko-_sensei_," Naruto corrects himself.

"That's better." Anko clears her throat. "I know that two of you know me well already, but listen to me. I am your instructor and leader now. I _will_ be addressed as 'sensei'. I will be treating all of you fairly. And that means _all _of you are going to have to introduce yourselves to me, and I to you."

When only silence greeted her response, Anko takes a deep breath and exhales. "All right. I am Anko Mitarashi. I am a jonin from Konoha, and I enjoy good food, teaching, and just being out in the field. I find being in a classroom absolutely stifling, and I _really _hate a certain rogue shinobi who cast me off a few years ago. My dream is to help as many of you graduate to the chuunin level as possible throughout my life."

She smiles at them. "Now, can each of you do the same thing? I'll start with you, Naruto. Feel free to mention any hobbies too."

"Uh, okay, Anko-sensei." The word 'sensei' sounded weird out of Naruto's mouth. He was still trying to get his head wrapped around the concept. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki. What I like . . . well, I _love _my family. What else I like is my mother's cooking, especially her ramen! But I like takeout ramen too! The Ichiraku Noodle Bar is the best ramen I've ever had that wasn't made by my mom!"

"Does Naruto think about more than ramen?" Mikoto asks me.

"Just wait," I reply.

"And my dream . . . my dream is to become Hokage and be the best Ninja in the history of Konoha! And my hobbies, are, well . . . pranks and practical jokes, kinda sorta."

Mikoto groans to my right. "Dreamer . . ."

"That's right. Naruto dreams. But I know he can make them come true," I reply.

Mikoto just gives me a _look_. Why is she so mad at me? It has to be more than just what happened with Sasuke, I'm sure. Something really deep. I wish I knew what it was. I don't like this feeling that I'm losing my best friend.

Anko chuckles. "All righty then. Your turn, Sasuke Uchiha."

Sasuke sighs. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha. What I like is something I want to keep private for right now, and I don't really hate anyone. But . . . my dream is to save someone. I want to restore my clan, and I have sworn to save someone I love."

Naruto turns and gives Sasuke a weird look, and Anko looks caught off guard too.

"Sasuke, you bleeding heart," Mikoto sighs from beside me.

I wonder if Sasuke wants to save Itachi. That would make the most sense, wouldn't it? Itachi _is_ Sasuke's older brother. Maybe Sasuke isn't convinced that Itachi was the murderer? Or, I wonder, could he be wanting to save his _mother_? Mikoto's words seem to suggest Itachi, but I'm not sure.

The Hokage's words about Mikoto again echo throughout my head. Do I really know my best friend well at all anymore?

"Wow," Anko says. "All right . . ."

She looks at the girl, who had seemed practically invisible next to Naruto and Sasuke. I don't recognize her offhand. But she looks like . . . a Hyuga? What's a Hyuga doing as part of Anko's team? I could have sworn that . . .

"What I have on my sheet is 'Sakura Haruno'," Anko says, glancing from her sheet of paper to the girl and then back to the sheet. "But you are _not _Sakura Haruno, correct?"

The girl's voice is soft, shy, gentle. So soft it is almost a wisp. "T-That's right. My name is Hinata Hyuga."

"O-kay," Anko says, scratching the back of her head. "Can somebody fill me in on why there's been a last-second switch? 'Cause I was supposed to have Sakura Haruno."

"Um . . ." Hinata fidgets with her hands. She's a cute girl, with dark hair and pale eyes, her figure obscured by a beige sweatshirt and navy-blue pants. "T-They found a personality conflict w-with Sakura Haruno and needed to change her team."

"Personality conflict?" Anko asks.

"I-It seems that Sakura has sworn to kill N-Naruto's mom," Hinata replies.

I can't keep the gasp from escaping my mouth and cover my hand over my face to try to suppress it. They almost assigned to my son's team a girl who wants to _kill_ me? Are these people _crazy_? And why would this 'Sakura Haruno' want to kill me?

No, I know why. It has to do with the attack twelve years ago. Did I hurt or kill her family? Or had I done something to Sakura herself? I can faintly remember attacking a couple of children . . . had I attacked a newborn baby too? I don't remember either way.

Naruto's voice more than drowns out my gasp. "_What_? Who are the idiots who came up with this? Where's Sakura, I'm gonna show her-"

"Naruto, no!" Anko shouts firmly.

"Why not?" Naruto asks.

"Because that is something for the village to worry about, not us," Anko replies. "Now sit back down!"

"Hmmph." Naruto flops on his butt and stares at the ground.

Anko lifts her forehead protector up and rubs her forehead for a second. "All right, this explains a lot. Why were _you _assigned to this team, Hinata Hyuga?"

"Um . . . they said I was the best fit for Team 7 after Sakura," Hinata replies. "And she was the best fit after me for the team I was supposed to be on . . . Team 8. So they switched us."

"_And _they didn't tell me this beforehand," Anko grumbles, looking at her sheet one last time. She finally crumples it up and throws it at the nearest garbage can, and it bounces off the rims and falls into the hole.

"All right. Since I now have you, Hinata, would you mind telling us a bit about yourself? Your likes and dislikes, your dreams, etcetera?"

"Um . . ." Hinata fidgets with her hands again. It must be like a nervous tic for her. "C-Can I . . . just tell them to you in private, Anko-sensei?"

"Oh come on!" Naruto says. "Can't you just say it out loud like everybody else, Hinata?"

"Sorry, Naruto," Hinata replies as she looks down.

"No, it's okay, Hinata," Anko says as she walks forward. "I'm going to activate a privacy seal when I'm right next to you. And I won't blab what you said to anybody, okay?"

"T-Thank you."

Anko makes a few hand motions, and I see both of her hands glow briefly with a symbol on them. She walks right next to Hinata and Hinata begins talking. Just as Anko intended, Hinata's words are completely blocked. I wish I could read lips but I can't, so whatever Hinata is telling Anko is a total mystery to me. And I doubt that Anko will tell me. Hinata seemed to desire keeping a lot of things a public secret, and if Anko tells me, there's a chance Naruto might find out in some way.

After about thirty seconds, Anko nods and back off. "All right, that's pretty interesting . . . and _revealing_. Thank you, Hinata. Welcome to Team 7. I hope it proves a better fit for you than the team you were originally picked for."

Hinata just blushes at that remark.

"All right," Anko says. "That sounds good for today. I'm going to give the three of you the day off, but tomorrow is the formal start of our time together. And if you three aren't careful, our time as a team could be cut _really _short."

"What do you mean, Anko? Er, I mean 'Anko-sensei'?" Naruto asks.

"Our first mission is out on the practice field around noon," Anko replies. "It's all about survival exercises."

"Yes, my best subject!" Naruto shouts.

"Why would that be a mission?" Sasuke asks. "We were grilled about survival training all the time at the Academy."

"It's not your typical mission," Anko says, and I see that small, devious grin from a couple days ago re-emerge. "You guys get to survive against yours truly. _Me_, the one and only Anko Mitarashi!"

Suddenly, Anko does a good act of a maniacal supervillain. "That's right! Your lives belong to me and me alone! Your fates are in my hands and you will _like _it!"

Everyone just _stare s_at her.

"I'm just messin' with ya," Anko laughs. "But seriously, these survival exercises are rough. There were twenty-seven of you in your graduating class. But on average, only _nine _of you will actually pass the instructor's test and hold onto your 'genin' title. The rest of you are sent back for more training and you'll have to try again. And just because I'm a rookie instructor doesn't mean I'll be going easy on you."

"We spent all that time busting our butts in the Academy and we _still _might get sent back there?" Naruto asks.

"Well, pass my test and you won't have to worry about it, will ya?" Anko asks with that devious grin on her face.

"Hmmph."

Both Sasuke and Naruto look determined and ready to go, but Hinata actually looks somewhat intimidated. I don't know if that's how she naturally looks, or whether her fear is genuine. I wonder if Anko is going to have to show more of a nurturing side towards Hinata in order for her to have a shot at passing.

"Okay, so it's noon at the practice field, got it?" Anko asks. "Don't eat breakfast unless you feel like puking, either. Trust me on this one. I took the genin test too at one time, and I regretted eating breakfast that day. Big time."

Hinata raises her hand.

"Yes, Hinata?" Anko asks.

"Any hints as to what the test could be?" Hinata asks.

"None, I'm afraid. A lot of what happens in the field is determined on the fly. I want to test how quickly you guys can react to situations on the battlefield," Anko says.

A pause, and Anko suddenly winces, making her smile look pained and awkward. "And I just realized that I _have _given out a hint. But no more freebies, got it?"

I can see both Naruto and Sasuke stifling their chuckling. Oh boy. Anko could have made just a _little _bit more of a respectful impression. Especially for Naruto. She's not doing a good job of trying to separate work from family with him.

"All right, you three are dismissed. Have a good rest of the day, and I'll see all of you out on the field tomorrow," Anko says.

As the students all gives their farewells, I look over at Mikoto. She looks dismayed. "They could not have picked a worst teacher for my son. What the hell is the village thinking?"

Mikoto sighs. "Unless that is the point, so Sasuke won't advance beyond genin."

"It's not a conspiracy, Mikoto," I reply.

"If you say so." Mikoto grunts as she turns around and begins walking away. "I'll be watching tomorrow. I want as much ammunition as possible if Anko screws this up even more than she already has."

"I think she made a few mistakes, but she's sincere and she's trying. Everybody has to start somewhere," I say.

"But why does she have to start with _my son_?" Mikoto asks.

It takes me a moment to realize that I don't have a good answer for her.

Mikoto just sighs and walks away.

She really isn't who she once was. I'm worried. Both for Konoha . . . and for Mikoto.

* * *

"That could have gone a little better," Anko admits to me after Naruto's gone to bed for the night.

"It's all right. You're just working out your teaching style. It's your first team, Anko. Nobody's expecting you to get it right immediately."

"I have to, though. I need to make sure they're ready to become chuunin. That's my responsibility, along with making sure they don't get killed," Anko replies. "I don't think Sasuke respects me very much, and Hinata . . . I don't think she has one bit of confidence in herself. I did not sign up for this to play therapist."

"What did Hinata tell you?" I ask.

Anko shakes her head. "I promised her I wouldn't tell anybody. I'm keeping that promise, Kushina."

"I understand." It _does _look like that Anko's analysis is correct, Hinata Hyuga looks shy and tentative, but maybe the outgoing Anko would be the best teacher to get that out of Hinata's system. I hope Anko doesn't just write Hinata off as a lost cause. The Hyuga clan are fairly well-known in Konoha though I don't know any of them closely. Hinata has the potential to become exceptionally skilled.

Anko runs her hands down her face a couple of times as she walks around in a circle around me. "They gotta be testing me too. This whole thing isn't just testing the kids. It's testing me if I'm fit to be their teacher. They'll probably have someone watching my test tomorrow, and if they think I'm unfit, they'll start them over with a different teacher. I can't let that happen."

"Anko, don't panic for no reason," I reply. "Just relax and conduct your test."

"Right. Right." Anko sighs. "You're right."

Anko looks at me. "If it isn't too much trouble, Kushina, I'd like you to prepare three boxes of bento tomorrow."

"I can do that. Why?"

"It's part of the test," Anko says. "It's a favorite tactic of Kakashi's test and I'm gonna keep that aspect of it. I don't like his 'bells' tactic though. I was gonna go with something else. Real ninja don't chase targets with bells jingling on them."

Anko sighs. "Besides, if Hinata's smart enough to use her Byakugan, me being silent won't matter anyway."

I immediately see what Anko is going for. She's being smarter and more subtle than I'm used to seeing, though some of that has to be Kakashi's influence. But she's looking to see how well Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata can work as a _team_. If Naruto and Sasuke are going to have any hope of catching their target, whether it's Anko or something else, they're going to need Hinata and her Byakugan ability to spot it.

That would also give Hinata more confidence in herself, more of a sense of self-worth. She would have to be viewed as an essential part of the team and not just the "creepy girl who stares at me", to paraphrase Naruto.

Anko's looking to form a cohesive unit as soon as possible. And that is unquestionably the smartest thing to do.

"Look at the bright side," I say. "You have three good kids with three good personalities. You can do this, Anko. No problem children."

"Yeah, I dodged a kunai there," Anko replies. "I wonder what Sakura's issue is with you anyway. Why she wants to kill you. And why the village is letting a girl with such dark motivations try to become a genin."

"I wish I knew," I reply honestly. "The Hokage works in mysterious ways sometimes."

"I really wish the Hokage wouldn't, I wish I knew what the hell he's thinking sometimes," Anko moans. "Anyway, I'm gonna turn in. I hope I do better tomorrow." "I know you will," I say.

"'Night." Anko walks up the stairs to the second floor, which is exclusively bedrooms. It's a far cry from her old apartment, that's for sure, but at least this way the three of us each have our own room.

Anko is not going to quit. I know she won't. This is what she always wanted and one of her students is the student she's always wanted to instruct. In a way, the Hokage has granted Anko her wish. But it could also be enough rope to hang herself if Anko isn't careful.

It's not something I can do anything about, though. I can't even do anything about Sakura Haruno either, not until I meet her for the first time.

I just hope I don't meet her like I wound up meeting Mizuki . . .

But I have the feeling that's how it will happen anyway.

Old grievances just don't die. Especially when they are formed in children.


	10. Red Flags

First post of the new year!

The Royal Queen Akito: Thank you. The idea fascinated me too, along with a multitude of other ideas. You're going to see a lot of Naruto ideas, some more normal, and others that are crazy, and others in-between, in this story. I'm trying really hard to give Kushina a clear voice.

dracohalo117: There will be elaboration on Sakura's motivations in chapter 11. I'm glad you liked it! :)

* * *

**Chapter Ten: Red Flags**

_I see you again, Minato, as that veiled figure in the golden mist. Is this heaven? Is this just a dream-world? Or is this something else entirely? _

_Minato, what am I doing wrong? What should I be doing instead? First Mizuki, and now this Sakura Haruno girl is threatening to follow in Mizuki's footsteps. A life seeking vengeance is going to be empty and hollow and ultimately without reward. All Sakura will do is become the monster she despises, and be consumed by her hatred. And she will die lonely and hateful in some field or ditch somewhere, realizing far too late how she has wasted her life on a single pursuit._

_How can I stop that from happening, Minato? I almost wish Sakura had stayed on Naruto and Sasuke's team so I can confront her easier. I don't know this girl. I don't even know where she lives. Naruto knows next to nothing about her. Even Anko doesn't know much about Sakura. _

_So what can I do, Minato? How can I prevent Sakura from becoming another Mizuki, or even worse? _

_Why won't you answer me? _

_Please talk to me. I want to hear your voice again. Your youthful, smooth voice, full of precocious wisdom and kindness. Even if it is to speak in platitudes or riddles, please say something. Anything. Just let me hear your voice and give me something resembling a goal or purpose of what I should be. _

_Minato, please!_

_What should I do? Where should I go? _

_You're turning around again. Are you going to finally say something? Please, Minato. What is it I should know? What do I need to do? _

_No. No. Not the blinding white light _again_. Minato, how does this help me? What are you telling me? _

_Minato, please! Don't just send me away! Answer me!_

Minato!

* * *

I am left awake in my bed once again in the early morning, sweating and crying.

Minato, what are you telling me? Is that light some kind of message? If it is, why is it so cryptic? Why does it always wake me up?

Or is it something else? Something I can't describe?

Please answer me, Minato. I am sick of sobbing so many mornings because I see you in this fleeting way. I don't get to see your face, I don't get to hear your voice, I can't even admire the way you still stand up strong even in a dream.

It _hurts_, Minato.

So please, one of these mornings, one of these dreams . . .

Please say or do something that doesn't hurt me.

I don't want to hurt anymore.

* * *

The practice field is lit up by the bright midday sun. The temperature is seventy-five degrees, with only a few clouds in the sky. Perfect weather for a test.

I find Mikoto by the end of the river, sitting on what seems to be a picnic blanket.. She waves at me, and I wave back. She seems to be in a better mood today than yesterday. Maybe she's a bit more optimistic about Anko, or maybe it is something else.

"Anko told me to sit down here," Mikoto says. "The kids are aware we're watching this time. She wants them to feel a bit of additional pressure."

"Psychological warfare," I reply as I sit down on the blanket.

"I'll admit it, that's somewhat ingenious of Anko Mitarashi to use us a way to put pressure on the children to perform well, particularly on our own two sons," Mikoto replies. "I'll give Anko the benefit of the doubt for right now. But if she pulls anything like she did yesterday . . ."

"I understand." I look at her basket. "What did you bring to eat? I just brought along my standard bento."

"Sushi. I already ate it," Mikoto replies. She looks out at the field. "Looks like it's about to get under way."

All three kids are standing in the middle of the field, and Anko is standing by three posts.

"Good afternoon, my brand-spanking-new genin," Anko says, smiling in that devious manner once again. That smile is starting to make me nervous whenever I see it. I wonder if the children are feeling the same way.

"Thank you all for showing up on time. You may not realize it, but punctuality is an important part of being a ninja. You need to be in position and ready to begin the operation right when you're supposed to, or you can easily cause a failed mission," Anko says.

Anko doesn't know that I nearly had to throw Naruto out of bed at ten o'clock. Anko's been out here all morning. I am sure other tests have been going on at the same time, and many of them likely took place here. I wonder if Anko has spent the entire time watching, observing, taking notes so she knows the right things to say and do.

"And now . . . here is your mission." Anko reaches into one of her scroll pouches in her green flak vest and pulls out a pair of red flags.

"Red flags . . . how fitting," Mikoto mutters.

"You see this pair of red flags? You three have three hours to steal these from me. I've already set an alarm for three o'clock. Anyone who fails doesn't get to eat any of the _wonderful _bento that Kushina Uzumaki over there kindly prepared for me."

Ah. So _that _is my role in this. My cooking has been used as the reward. I suppose I should feel flattered, but at the same time, it doesn't feel right. I wonder what Anko is doing.

"And I know that since it is almost noon already," Anko says, that devious smile getting even wider, "You three are getting pretty hungry, am I right?"

Naruto looks dismayed. "Oh come on! Why're you doing this? If I had known, I would've at least had a meal bar!"

"Because on some missions you won't be able to eat anything at all," Anko says. "There won't be time. You need to have the endurance and strength to be able to work without having any food in your stomach at all."

"A harsh lesson for children," Mikoto says to me.

"I think it's a necessary one. I've gone hungry a lot, especially on the A-ranks I've done," I reply.

"They are only twelve, and they're not going to be doing even C-ranks for a while," Mikoto replies. "She's trying too many things at once here. I don't see how any of them are going to pass."

Mikoto has a point, but Anko has a master plan of some kind. I know she does. She's looking for something. Is it just seeing if the three work well together? Under pressure, without any food? Or is there something else I'm not seeing yet?

Hinata raises her hand. "Yes, Hinata?" Anko asks.

"Um . . . there are three lunches, but only two flags," Hinata replies. "One of us isn't going to eat."

"Good observation. You're right. There aren't enough flags to go around. One of you will be going hungry, and will have to watch as everyone else gets to eat."

"Then can I give my lunch up to someone else?" Hinata asks.

Anko blinks. "No. You can't eat without gaining a flag first. If you want to give up your lunch to the loser, that is up to you. Your altruism shows your heart is in the right place, but no, you can't automatically give up your right to eat."

"Okay." Hinata's voice is so soft I can barely hear her from over here.

"Here's two more wrinkles for you three," Anko replies. "There _might_ be a third red flag. It is either hidden somewhere on the practice field, or I might have it hidden on me. If the two flags I have are taken, the last genin can either try to fight me and search me for it, or search the practice field. But here's the thing. Three hours is not enough time to search the entire practice field, and you don't even know if I'm lying or telling the truth. That is up to _you_to decide. It's a calculated risk you will have to take."

"Now she's playing psychological games," Mikoto says. "What is she thinking?"

Anko answers her indirectly. "Questionable information is part of being a ninja. Do you want to take a risk and act on it? Or are you going to discard it and just go on what you know? That is something you will have to decide as well in the field."

"There's your answer," I say.

"As for our two observers, they are noncombatants. You are not allowed to go to them for advice, though if you want to ask to search them or their picnic area for the possible third red flag, that is permitted. And, finally, one more thing."

Anko's grin finally vanishes, and suddenly she shows the true, hardened face of someone who has been in the field for years, has killed people. Anko doesn't usually look this way in front of me. She actually looks somewhat intimidating. "You are permitted to do whatever it takes to seize my red flags. Use shuriken, kunai, any ninjutsu or genjutsu you may know. It is the only way you will have a chance."

"Wait, you're giving us permission to try to kill you? You can't be serious!" Naruto asks.

"Like I said, it is the only way you will have a chance," Anko says. "Now I'm done. Are you all ready to go?"

Sasuke just nods. Hinata says "Okay."

Naruto just looks down. "Fine," he finally says.

Anko looks at the clock. "Well, it just turned noon. Your time starts _now_."

The three children stare.

"What are you waiting for? You're all wasting valuable seconds standing there!" Anko shouts.

Finally, the children vanish from sight. Except for my son.

"I can't believe you're serious about this! You really expect me to try to kill you? After everything we've been through together?" Naruto shouts.

Anko's palm slaps her face. "Naruto, not now."

"Well? Answer me!" Naruto shouts.

"I am not your 'soul sister' right now!" Anko replies. "I am your enemy! If you don't defeat me you'll never become a genin! Get that through your knuckleheaded skull!"

"_You're _the knucklehead here, Anko! I'm not-"

Anko groans, and then she becomes a blur and is suddenly right on top of Naruto.

Naruto just stares.

"Guess I have to give you the message the hard way!" Anko grabs Naruto by the leg and spins him around in a circle and then launches Naruto into the forest. Naruto's scream can likely be heard all the way in Konoha, and here, it almost makes me want to cover my ears.

And then give Anko whatfor. Throwing my son like a rag doll is too much. I get the message she's trying to send, but surely she didn't have to resort to such a technique!

Anko dusts off her hands. "_Now_ do you three get it? And by the way, I am Anko-_sensei_!"

"Fire Style! Fireball Technique!" Suddenly, a large amount of flame comes Anko's way, and Anko barely gets out of the way in time. Sasuke apparently thought that Anko was distracted enough to try to hit.

"This is getting out of hand," Mikoto growls. I'm starting to wonder the same thing.

As Anko lands in a section of grass that hasn't been burned to a crisp, Sasuke comes at her from an angle, holding kunai in his hands. He's certainly taking Anko's lecture to heart, and is definitely attacking her with everything he has.

Sasuke throws the pair of kunai he has, and Anko jumps really high to avoid them. Exceptionally high, rather. She vaults all the way behind Sasuke and then crouches down.

And then her hands make the sign of the horse.

"No!" Mikoto gasps, realizing what Anko is up to already. "That's too advanced to use against Sasuke! What's she thinking?"

Anko's grin has never looked so sinister. Even her eyes look downright impish. "Not bad, Sasuke, but not good enough!"

Sasuke can only turn his head around and look stunned. And then Anko makes the sign of the tiger. She _is _going to use an advanced technique, a fire-based ninjutsu! Sasuke is going to be terminated!

"Anko, wait!" I shout, but it's too late.

Anko's voice turns pompous and dramatic. "Leaf Village Secret Finger Technique! _One Thousand Years of Death_!"

And then she does something I did not see coming.

She sticks her fingers or something else up Sasuke's butt and propels Sasuke into the air, likely by using chakra, sending him flying over our heads so he splashes into the river behind us. And if my son's scream had been loud, Sasuke's own pained shriek is borderline deafening in comparison. A stereotypical "girlie scream" as Naruto would call it.

"Did . . . did she just shove her fingers up my son's ass?" Mikoto asks in total disbelief, her face twitching.

"Looks like it," I reply. I have no idea whether to laugh or walk up to Anko and give her a taste of her own medicine.

Anko does a mock bow, apparently to _us_. "That is a demonstration of Konoha's most secret and cherished technique, taught to me personally by the one and only Kakashi Hatake. Thank you, thank you very much."

So _this_is apparently one of Kakashi's tricks. No wonder Kakashi has never passed anybody. Such a cruel, humiliating "trick" is beyond the capabilities of genin to take.

I hear Naruto bellow a battle cry. He jumps from the forest and attacks Anko from behind, armed with only his fists, but Anko easily dodges and then catches his arm.

"Ninja don't bellow like elephants," Anko says curtly, and then tosses Naruto into the trees and then leaps after him.

All I can hear are trees rustling and branches snapping as Anko apparently chases Naruto in the woods.

"Should we go after her or check on Sasuke?" I ask.

I hear Naruto scream from the woods, rendering my point moot. "No, wait! Not me _too_!"

Then I hear that pompous tone again. "Now _you _must feel the wrath of Konoha's most sacred technique! One Thousand Years of Death!"

"_EEEEARRRRRRRGGGGGH_!" Naruto is launched from the woods and he splashes into the river behind us as well.

Just as that happens, Sasuke surfaces, his face red from embarrassment. "Sorry, Mother."

"This is just a disgrace," Mikoto mutters, and I find myself wanting to agree.

I hear Hinata's voice, she sounds horrified and worried. "Naruto! _Naruto_! Are you okay?"

"Big mistake, Hinata!" I can hear the raw mischief in Anko's voice. She is having _way _too much fun with this.

And I unfortunately know what's coming.

"Leaf Village Secret Finger Technique! One Thousand Years of Death!"

"_KYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAH_!" Hinata is ejected from the woods at a high arc, somersaulting in the air.

I watch Hinata's trajectory, and it takes me a moment to realize that Hinata is going to come down right where Sasuke and a recently-resurfaced Naruto are still floating in the river.

And they see it coming too, considering their eyes grow as wide as dinner plates.

Then they match Hinata in the volume of their screams right before Hinata lands right on top of them and causes a massive splash that even has a few droplets reach Mikoto and I.

"This is a fiasco," Mikoto says, looking like she is about to blow up like a volcano.

All three of the would-be genin bubble up to the surface, and all look highly embarrassed and humiliated. I'm starting to think the same thing Mikoto is.

"This sucks," Naruto says, summarizing the general situation.

"I'm sorry," Hinata replies.

"This isn't your fault. Let's just get to shore and come up with a plan," Sasuke says.

Mikoto scoffs. "The only plan should be to have Anko removed from her post immediately after such a vulgar display. This is harassment."

Sasuke makes it to shore before either Hinata and Naruto and he struggles to his feet. "Let us have one more chance, Mother. I'm not done yet."

"No one humiliates us," Mikoto says. "This entire display has just been disgraceful."

Anko reappears from the forest. "All three of you have made significant errors! Naruto, you just won't accept the mission and its objectives! Sasuke, your ability on a technical level is precocious, especially when it comes to chakra control, but you timed your surprise attack poorly, it was basically a frontal assault! And Hinata, giving away your position like that is a fatal error in most situations!"

"Then what the heck are we supposed to do?" Naruto asks.

"Discuss it among yourselves. Come and get me when you feel like acting like _real _ninja," Anko says, and then she leaps back into the woods.

"I'll show _her _a real ninja!" Naruto growls as he gets out of the water, but Sasuke grabs his shoulder. "What is it, Sasuke?"

"Wait. I just realized something. Hinata, come over here," Sasuke says.

"Okay . . .?" Hinata gets out of the water and walks over to Sasuke. It's then that I realize the subliminal message Anko is sending to these children. I wonder if Sasuke has realized it too.

"She's been playing head games with us since the moment we got here," Sasuke says. "She's doing this to throw us off our game, to have us commit mistakes that we shouldn't make. But Anko-sensei just gave us a hint. 'Discuss it among yourselves'. What do you think she's telling us to do?"

"This 'subtle' stuff ain't my thing," Naruto says. "Just tell me what you think already."

"She's telling us to attack her like a team. All three of us are needed to take those flags off of her," Sasuke says. "Otherwise she's going to keep humiliating us until we quit."

He's realized it. Everything Anko has been doing is to tell her three genin what they needed to do in order to win. And that is to go after her like a team, a team with a firm plan.

Even Mikoto seems surprised that Sasuke's figured it out, considering she's raising her eyebrow. Or maybe she's shocked that Sasuke's seen something even she wasn't able to see. I can't tell.

Naruto doesn't quite see it though. "But what about the flags? There's only two of them! One of us still won't get to eat!"

"Screw the flags, Naruto. She's using them as a way to turn us into competitors instead of teammates. If she's going to be so draconian about it then we split the two lunches among the three of us," Sasuke replies. He smiles. "But I don't think she plans to do that."

Naruto sighs. "Fine. Tell us the plan. I don't want to keep making an idiot of myself in front of my mom."

"Right. Hinata, you have the Byakugan ability, don't you?" Sasuke asks.

"Yes," Hinata replies, looking surprised. I wonder if she thought that Sasuke wouldn't ask her to do anything at all, much less be called upon first.

"Byakugan?" Naruto asks, confused.

"It's a special ability the Hyuga clan have," Sasuke replies. "They can see the chakra in people. Hinata can see Anko-sensei's chakra even if Anko-sensei is hiding behind something. We'll use Hinata to find Anko-sensei, and depending on where she is, we'll figure out the rest of the plan from there. Now follow me. Hinata, activate your Byakugan the moment we enter the forest."

"R-Right," Hinata says, clearly nervous but at least ready to go.

"What should I do?" Naruto asks.

"We're surrounding Hinata. You watch the right flank, I'll keep an eye on the left," Sasuke replies. "Now let's go!"

Sasuke takes off at a run, and both Naruto and Hinata briefly hesitate before they take off after Sasuke. I can hear Naruto grumbling something about Sasuke being a "smart-ass pretty boy", but I know that's just Naruto's pride talking.

"Well," I say to Mikoto. "Should we go follow them and watch the show? I think your son's showing potential to be a good leader."

"I think that Sasuke is giving Anko far too much credit," Mikoto replies. "But fine. Let's see if my son can salvage something from this travesty."

Mikoto is being _really _pessimistic. It seems like that every positive development that happens, Mikoto is quicker and quicker to point out something negative. Is Anko just setting Mikoto off, or is Mikoto like this all the time? No wonder Sasuke seems to be melancholy so much, if Mikoto is this relentlessly negative around him.

But when I get up and follow my son and his fellow genin into the forest, Mikoto is right behind me. I can't help but smile. Try as she may, Mikoto just can't suppress her curiosity. There's life in her yet.

None of the genin have the ability to tree-walk, and I don't want to accidentally give away their position to Anko. I'd like my son to actually have a chance, however silm, of defeating Anko. So I keep it slow and steady, making sure to lag behind Naruto and the others as they run through the woods.

Then Hinata finally speaks. "Stop."

Sasuke and Naruto both freeze up. Sasuke hisses "Take cover."

Mikoto and I also take over, on top of a tree branch, and I hug the tree trunk as much as possible. Anko would logically deduce that if she sees me, the three genin won't be far away. I can't give my son's position away. I can do S-ranked missions. I am surely capable of keeping my position secret from not only the genin, but Anko as well.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata have taken cover in one of the bushes, and I look around and I see Anko just casually sitting down in one of the trees. She has carefully obscured her position from the ground level, but I can see her from my spot.

She is almost directly in front of the three genin, about forty yards away, but at least a story or two above them. I can see some of Sasuke's strategy coming just out of necessity. Sasuke is the only one who can smoke Anko out, with that Fireball Technique of his. That means it'll be up to Naruto and Hinata to take Anko down.

Hinata begins speaking. "She's right in front of us, the tree with the slightly crooked edge, sitting on one of the branches."

"What about the Anko to the left, sitting underneath the tree?" Naruto asks.

It takes me a moment to see what Naruto's talking about, but then I see _that_particular Anko, looking rested and waiting.

"The chakra isn't right, Naruto," Hinata says. "I think that one's a decoy."

"Then that's what we'll assume," Sasuke says. "The decoy is likely booby-trapped. Ignore it and if Anko goes in that direction, don't go anywhere near it."

"She's been waiting for us," Naruto says, speaking the obvious but I guess it's something that needs to be said anyway.

"Hinata, disengage your Byakugan before you kill your eyes. I think I can see where she is," Sasuke replies.

"All right," Hinata says.

Sasuke sighs. "Okay. This is the best shot we're gonna get. I'm going to come at Anko from the left flank and shoot my Fireball Technique at her, I have enough chakra for one more shot. Hinata, your job is to track Anko's landing and attack her the moment she lands with your Gentle Fist attacks. Disable her chakra so she can't try any ninjutsu. Naruto, while Hinata's attacking Anko, your job is to move in and steal both of Anko's flags. I will be the backup option for both of you if Anko is able to counter-attack. That clear?"

"Yes," Hinata replies.

"Believe it," Naruto adds.

"All right, good. I'm going to get into position. You both watch where Anko lands and attack her," Sasuke says, and then he begins moving, slowly and cautiously

"I think they actually have a chance," I say.

Mikoto says nothing.

And then it happens.

"Fire Style! Fireball Technique!" A giant swath of flame erupts from below Anko's left, and Anko, just as Sasuke intended, leaps away and heads towards the ground to the right. Hinata gets moving too, charging towards Anko with everything she has.

But right as she's about to strike, suddenly Hinata is strung up in the air by a rope. She's been caught in a trap.

Naruto strikes from Anko's left, but she sees him coming and doesn't have Hinata to worry about. Anko parries two punches by Naruto, and then sidesteps him and spins Naruto around. Before she can do anything more, Sasuke throws a kunai at Anko and she's forced to step aside or risk getting hit.

"Get Hinata free! I'll keep her busy!" Sasuke shouts.

"I'm on it!" Naruto yells. Hinata, while strung up, isn't ridiculously high from the ground, but she is effectively out of the battle. Naruto takes out a kunai for the first time in this battle and cuts Hinata free and she lands on the ground, rubbing her head and looking embarrassed, but otherwise looking fine.

"You okay?" Naruto asks.

"I-I'm fine, Naruto," Hinata replies softly.

Hinata is so clearly crushing on my son that eventually he's gonna notice, or I have the most obtuse child on this planet.

"Come on, Sasuke can't fight her alone," Naruto says, but the moment he takes off to run, _he_gets strung up as well and is left dangling on a rope.

Anko had left a second trap right by the first one. Fairly ingenious on her part. Clearly intended to ensnare a rescuer.

"Argh! Hinata! Help me!" Naruto yells.

"Y-Yes, Naruto!" As Hinata goes to help Naruto, Sasuke is giving it everything he has against Anko, but she is more experienced in hand-to-hand combat than he is. And Sasuke is drained, he's fired two Fireball Techniques and hasn't eaten at all. Anko is going to outlast him.

"You're not bad! You're making my forearms sore!" Anko says as she blocks more of Sasuke's taijutsu moves.

Finally, she discovers an opening and gives Sasuke a shot in the gut and sends Sasuke backwards. Sasuke manages to stay upright, but he's swaying. The boy is exhausted.

Hinata by this point has managed to cut Naruto free and now they're finally rejoining the battle. Anko sees them coming. "You two won't get me with a frontal assault!"

She fires a pair of shuriken at them, and when Naruto and Hinata don't dodge right away, my heart skips a beat. After seeing Naruto cut up by Mizuki, seeing my son bleed again, even against Anko, is something I can't stand to see again. Anko's going too far.

But when the shuriken connect, there's puffs of smoke, and all that's left where Naruto and Hinata had been is nothing.

Clone Technique. I breathe a sigh of relief. Naruto's still okay.

Anko's eyes widen, just a little. "Oh, great."

Naruto and Hinata, I presume the _real _ones, emerge on Anko's flanks, Hinata coming from the right, Naruto from the left. Hinata gets to Anko first and she punches in the classic style of the Hyuga clan, the Gentle Fist, which puts emphasis on the palm over the knuckles. Anko barely dodges Hinata's strike, and she then pivots and catches Naruto's attempt to punch her and swings him into Hinata, sending them both crashing to the ground.

Sasuke, as tired as he is, isn't done yet either. He slides below Anko and reaches for one of the red flags, but Anko sees him coming and stops Sasuke's slide with her right foot. Mikoto gasps to my right, and it takes me a moment to realize that Sasuke is effectively Anko's hostage in such a compromised position.

Anko gives Sasuke a look with those hardened eyes, and then she blinks, and suddenly I see the usual Anko Mitarashi, and she smiles. "All right, I've seen enough! This exercise is over!"

"Crap!" Naruto growls.

"I'm sorry," Hinata says.

"There's nothing to be sorry for," Anko says. "_This _is what I wanted to see from the very beginning! The three of you came up with a plan and executed it!"

Anko steps off of Sasuke and Sasuke sits up. "But we didn't get any of the flags!" Sasuke says, his eyes wide with shock.

Anko chuckles. "I would have been _stunned _if you had managed to do that, actually. I'm a jonin. I have no good reason to be beaten by three rookie genin."

The three genin stare at her.

"What I wanted to see what your potential to be trained, your potential as ninja, _and_your ability to come up with a plan, execute it, and follow the orders of the one who emerged as your leader. Which, I believe, is Sasuke," Anko says, smiling at Sasuke.

"Uh, thanks," Sasuke says softly.

Naruto just sighs at that remark. "Yeah, it was all Sasuke," he admits.

"The three of you come closer. I have something to give you," Anko says.

"Uh, okay?" Naruto asks, confused, and the three genin walk up to her.

Then Anko bends down, just a little, and wraps them in a group hug.

"You three are official genin of Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves," Anko says, her voice warm, and even a little bit choked up. "I am honored to be your teacher, and I look forward to the day when the three of you surpass me."

She lets go of them, and she actually wipes one of her eyes. "I'm going to inform the Hokage that the three of you passed my test this evening, and tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, we're going to go see if there's a mission available for us. Now, let's head back to the river and eat! You all deserve it!"

"All right! Mom's cooking!" Naruto takes off at full speed towards the river, and Sasuke and Hinata follow far more casually.

Anko looks up at my and Mikoto's perch, and smiles at us. "I assume I have passed _your _test as well?"

"You passed mine," I say. I look over at Mikoto. "Well? What do you think?"

"Barely," Mikoto sighs.

"Well, I hope I'll pass any future tests of yours with flying colors," Anko says, giving us both a thumbs-up, and then she begins walking towards the river.

"As long as it isn't the color red," Mikoto says softly. "There's still too many warnings that this will be a disaster for my liking. Why in heaven's name did she decide to use _red flags_? It's a bad omen."

"We'll find out, won't we?" I ask. "Let's just enjoy the fact that our sons are both genin, and are on the path to becoming full-fledged ninja. We'll have enough to worry about soon enough, with C-ranked missions and the Chuunin Exams and all of that."

"Don't remind me," Mikoto says, and she manages to look like her old self, just a little, by giving me a small smile.

I chuckle, and jump off my perch and land on the ground. I've seen everything I've wanted to see. Anko's a rookie, but she's starting to get the hang of it. As long as she doesn't keep up the head games with my son and his fellow students, they'll do just fine.

Still . . . I think I should remind Anko to clean her hands before she eats anything. She _did_, after all put her fingers . . .

You know what? I think she forgot about that completely, knowing her.

I should probably run after her before it's too late.

"Anko! Anko, wait a minute!" I charge off after her before Mikoto's 'disaster' prediction comes true, in a way none of us expected.


	11. Thorns of Sakura

This is going up a few hours earlier than usual because I can't guarantee posting it tomorrow. I hope you like. It puts an end to the Introduction Arc adaptation . . . and showcases some of the butterfly changes from canon.

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Thorns of Sakura**

"Are you really going to be moving out, Anko?" Naruto asks.

"I'm twenty-one, Naruto," Anko replies. "I'm an adult, and your teacher. It's not gonna look good if I live with one of my students."

She smiles and rubs his face. "Don't worry. I found an apartment directly across the street. I'll still come over every day, probably for the majority of the day, as long as there's no mission happening anyway. I just won't be waking up and going to bed here, so."

"Okay," Naruto sighs.

Anko chuckles. "Remember. Soul siblings. United against the world. Together forever."

"Together forever," Naruto repeats, and he manages to smile.

Anko chuckles and looks at me. "Besides, I love your cooking too much to give it up completely, Kushina."

I know I'm blushing. Every time I am complimented for my cooking, I can't help it. Anko has suggested that I should open a restaurant someday. Maybe once I'm retired and have a successor in mind as jinchuuriki. Maybe. I just don't see myself doing that, though.

"Thank you," I say.

"You're welcome," Anko says, and then she turns to Naruto. "So? Ready to go?"

"Yeah, believe it!" Naruto jumps off his seat at the table. "Just as long as you don't poke me in the ass again with that weirdo technique."

"Language, Naruto," I interrupt.

"Heh, sorry," Naruto replies.

"That reminds me," I say. "What _is _this 'One Thousand Years of Death' anyway, Anko? That . . . was strange."

Now it's Anko's turn to blush. "Well, um, it basically involves my shoving my fingers into the seat of the pants and then channeling chakra out of my fingers to shoot the target away. You don't even poke a hole in the pants, honest! I was surprised how good my aim was too, I launched everyone into the river like I wanted, so."

"Can't you just do that _anywhere _and not in my ass?" Naruto asks, his eyes narrowing.

"Language, Naruto," I repeat.

"Sorry."

"Well, yeah, I guess," Anko says, scratching the back of her neck. "But it wouldn't be the 'One Thousand Years of Death' if I picked anywhere else."

"Hmm." Naruto looks suspicious, and I don't blame him.

"It's really more of a joke, Naruto, honest! You yourself felt the symptoms! Just some pain, constipation, and a _lot _of humiliation!" Anko replies.

"Being constipated and humiliated is not fun," Naruto replies. "It doesn't sound like it's all that useful to me either."

"I guess the technique would be _really _powerful if you have like a paper bomb or something to attach to the seat of the pants," Anko says. "Be a really memorable and embarrassing way to die, though."

Naruto's annoyed look quickly changes to something more devious. I do _not_like where this is going. "Don't even think about it, Naruto," I say.

"Aww."

"What, thinking of getting revenge on me?" Anko asks.

"Maybe," Naruto replies, deviously.

"You would _really _put your fingers up a lady's butt?" Anko asks.

Naruto's face turns beet red. "I, uh . . . stupid double standards."

"That's right," Anko replies cheerfully.

I think it's long overdue that we change the subject. "So, uh, getting off of this _unique_topic of discussion, you have any idea what your first mission is as a leader of a genin team, Anko?"

"I dunno, what gonna find out in about a half-hour. Haven't been briefed on it. I'm sure it'll be D-ranked," Anko replies.

I wish I could feel some kind of relief at hearing that. D-ranked missions almost exclusively stay inside the village or, at worst, the forest outside it. There's supposed to be virtually no danger and are often ways for genin to learn and practice their abilities.

But Naruto was almost murdered a short while ago. Can Anko really protect Naruto from people who would want to kill him? Not even D-ranks feel safe to me, not right now. At the same time, though, I don't want to embarrass Naruto or Anko by shadowing either one while they're doing a D-rank. That's just not normal.

I just have to trust that Naruto will be okay. That people who sympathize with Mizuki and what he did won't take advantage of a D-ranked mission to put Naruto into danger. If I can't even trust Naruto to be safe during a D-rank, or that Anko can keep everything together, how can I handle C-ranks, much less Bs and As? Naruto, if he wants to achieve his own dream, is going to need to start doing C-ranked missions at some point while he's still a genin. And there's also the Chuunin Exams, which nearly every genin attempts at least once. Naruto has no intention of becoming a 'career genin', and I don't have the right to force him to become one.

I'm going to have to let Naruto go, and trust in his own ability.

I wish I could keep myself from shivering at the prospect.

"All right," I say.

Anko gives me a reassuring look. "They're not going to dump C-ranks on us right off the bat, Kushina. We're gonna be fine."

"I want a C-rank," Naruto predictably says. "I want to actually fight somebody."

"We need to succeed in D-ranks first," Anko replies. "Once we get enough of those under our belts, _then _we can go for a C-rank."

"How many is 'enough'?" Naruto asks.

"As many as it takes," Anko replies.

"Argh! Not good enough!" Naruto growls, folding his arms and making a pouty face that is eerily similar to Anko's.

It's good enough for me, though. I don't want Naruto even _sniffing _a C-rank until he is completely ready for one. I know the Chuunin Exams are in a few months, but I'd prefer Naruto to miss his first chance to enter the exam and wait a few more months before making an attempt. But that is Anko's choice, not mine. I can try to persuade Anko one way or another, but it is still her decision as to whether her students are ready.

Knowing that I am not completely in charge of Naruto's destiny from this point forward just makes me even more nervous.

Damn it. I know Anko has good instincts, but . . . I seriously hope she skips the upcoming exams. There's two Chuunin Exams a year, the last one concluded just a month ago. Eleven months, Naruto might be ready. He'll be thirteen, his voice will likely be changing (and thus won't seem like such a rookie to older genin), he'll probably have a growth spurt, and almost a year of D and C-ranked missions to draw experience from. Not to mention training in tree-running and in chakra control and other essentials.

Five months, though, is definitely not enough time.

But five months is a long enough time away that I shouldn't get in Anko's face about that yet. I'll let her run the show. Naruto will be safe with the D-ranks . . . I can handle that. I have to.

Anko just smiles. "C'mon, Naruto. We have just enough time to make it to the Hokage's. We need to meet Sasuke and Hinata along the way. C'mon, let's not be late."

"Yeah, yeah. Right behind you, Anko."

Naruto gets his soles on, slurping down the rest of his breakfast as he goes. He rinses the dishes real fast and sets them down on the counter, and then joins Anko at the door.

"Bye, Mom! Just you wait, I'll be Hokage soon!"

I can't let my nervousness take me over here. "I know you will, Naruto. Have a good time on your first mission!"

"As long as Sasuke doesn't act like a jerk, I will!" Naruto replies confidently. "Believe it."

"Oh, Kushina," Anko says, "I almost forgot. The Hokage wants to meet you at ten o'clock in his office. I dunno for what."

"Aw man! Don't tell me Mom gets to have a secret mission or something!" Naruto whines.

"Well, I won't tell ya, 'cause it's a secret," Anko replies.

Naruto's only response is to groan.

"Thank you, Anko. I'll get everything cleaned up here, get some stretching exercises done, and then head up there. You have a good time too."

"I'll do my best. C'mon, Naruto."

"Yes, Anko."

"Anko-_sensei_."

"Sorry."

With that, they're gone, and I'm alone in the house.

A rather weird feeling, as it always is. And more stressful too.

No. I won't worry. Anko's got this under control. She's smarter than I give her credit for. I have to trust her.

If I can't trust Anko with my son, I can trust no one with him but me. And that is a rotten thing to feel.

So I just have to stay calm. Something tells me whatever the Hokage wants to see me for is even more stressful . . .

* * *

Konoha is beautiful today. I hope we get some rain in the next couple of days, though. It's been unseasonably dry for spring. If we don't get some rain soon, we're risking a drought.

No one really talks to me and the various street merchants don't hawk their wares to me. I'm used to that by now. They know who I am, they know what I have inside me. And their kids, even though they don't know the truth, the kids don't like me either. I scare them. After a year of smiling warmly at children, and either face hostility or them running away in fear to cower behind their parents, buildings, garbage cans, you name it, it dawned on me that the children won't forgive me either. Even if they don't understand me.

Speaking of which, I think a flower pot is about to come down on my head.

I step aside and let it fall to the ground, and I look up at the deck above me and to my right, and there is a young girl, about five years old.

"Monster lady!" she cries.

"You could have hurt me pretty bad there," I reply. "And you wasted a perfectly good flower by doing that too."

The girl just sticks out her tongue and runs inside.

Not even going to get another word from her. And I know at this point that requesting an apology from the child's parents is likely pointless.

As I walk away, I can hear the girl's mother. "Kasumi! What did you just do?"

"I tried to smash the monster lady!"

"You do _not _smash the 'monster lady'! She is . . ."

Can't hear anything more than that, I've walked too far away. Not that it is any of my business, and I can piece together what is inevitably being said about me.

"Monster lady" is probably the _least _of what some of these people say about me, at least in private.

Sometimes, they're so scared of me that they beg for my forgiveness when their child tries to pull a stunt like that. Those I almost prefer. I at least have a chance to talk them out of their misconceptions about me, so they know I am not some walking abomination. The hostile ones, who encourage their children in this, those are the ones I wish I could try to help. All they're doing is sowing seeds of hatred that will keep passing down from generation to generation and ensure my successor will also feel isolated and alone.

Of course, this is all my fault. I wasn't this disliked when I was married to Minato. They didn't understand me too well but they weren't spiteful or fearful of me.

I know some people, particularly many of the senior jonin, have no spite for me, and some even have offered their sympathy. That at least makes me feel a little better. But still, I wish that I fit in better among the common people. That way . . .

Hold that thought.

I think I'm being followed.

Keep walking. Act like nothing's wrong. Then casually turn around like you're looking at something else passing by. Look for the pursuer out of the corner of your eye.

Hang on. There's a sign across the street, advertising a sale on radishes. Sounds like a good excuse as any for a lingering glance, a perfect excuse to turn around.

Keep looking out of the corner of your eye, all while looking at the "Radishes - 20% Off!" sign.

There.

Vanished around the corner down the alley. A flash of red.

You're being followed, Kushina. No, not just that. _Stalked_.

Keep your cool outwardly. Just keep walking. But listen. Block out the sounds of this busy street. You're rounding a corner now, the Hokage building is directly in front of you, but three blocks down.

You can't lead your stalker to the Hokage. Who knows how competent this stalker is.

Force the issue. Draw the stalker into a position where he has no choice but to attack. Then take him down swiftly and quickly without making too much of a scene.

Make a right here. If the stalker is on the rooftops, this side street is skinnier than the others. It's easier to attack a target on this street than on the main road heading to the Hokage building.

There. A foot scuff above you, to the right.

The bait worked.

Look up. Look up and to your right _now_.

There _she _is! Leaping from two stories up, a girl dressed in red with long, straight hair reminiscent of cherry blossoms. Clearly a girl, even though she is moving so fast.

Her right arm ready to strike.

Amateur.

I step aside, and let her miss me with her strike, then grab her exposed, straightened right arm in mid-air and slam her into the street.

Now to get to the bottom of this.

"Damn it," the girl moans, rubbing her head as I approach her. "I shoulda figured you made yourself an easy target for a reason. You figured it out."

"You're right, I did."

The girl keeps rubbing her head as she stands up, and I get a good look at her. I have never seen a young girl as physically strong as her. Her right arm, involuntarily flexing as she rubs her rather high forehead, is visibly muscular, even though she can't be older than twelve, thirteen years of age.

Then I look at the hair, and then it dawns on me.

This girl's hair is _long_, almost as long and straight as mine, flowing down the girl's back, but in a wilder, almost untamed look. But that's not what identifies this girl to me. She has long bangs that obscure her forehead, coming down to past her eyebrows and even somewhat obscuring her eyes depending on where her hair shifts.

"Sheepdog bangs".

This has to be . . .

"Sakura Haruno," I say out loud.

Her green eyes look at me, and a knowing, amused expression crosses her face. "You know who I am. I guess you heard that I want to kill you."

Very direct and to the point. At least that's something I can approve of. "Yes, I did. Though you did a very poor job of it just now."

Sakura just laughs for a few seconds, and then catches herself. "I wasn't trying to kill you, Kushina Uzumaki. Do you see a weapon on me at all?"

I look her over, and much to my surprise. Sakura is right. She doesn't have a weapon, a shuriken, kunai, or otherwise.

Sakura's smile seems to have a hint of condescension, or maybe she is just greatly amused. "_Now _you get it."

"Why were you following me at all?" I ask. Now this is getting confusing. For an assassination attempt, this is a rather strange strategy.

Sakura chuckles. "Oh, _that_. My teacher, Kurenai Yuhi, criticized my lack of stealth when she tested me. That's kinda important when you're a ninja, you know? So I decided to get some practice in, and you fit the bill nicely. I mean, why not see how long I can follow an S-class without being detected? I think I managed to do it for three blocks, though that girl trying to hit you with the flower pot probably helped."

Three blocks? This girl, a rookie genin, was following me for three whole blocks without me detecting her? Either I'm losing my touch or she is a _lot _better at stealth than she's letting on. Which means she's lying.

Something isn't adding up no matter what the conclusion is.

Sakura's eyes get just a bit narrower, though the smile stays. It gives Sakura this eerie appearance. "What's the matter, Kushina?"

"Ms. Uzumaki," I correct.

Sakura chuckles. "I'd prefer to call you 'Kushina'. After all, I've been living with what you've done my whole life. I am _very _familiar with your handiwork, Kushina."

"My handiwork?" It takes me a moment to process that before it hits me. "Did I hurt someone you know?"

"_Hurt_? Nah, you didn't _hurt_ anybody I knew. _Crippled_ is a more accurate term. Or how about _burned_? Or _broken spine_? Those work too," Sakura says. She looks more eerie than ever with those wide eyes, partially obscured by her rose-colored bangs, and an ever-widening smile. Coupled with her increasingly edgy voice, it's almost like she's gone mad.

"What did I do?" I ask. I force down any twinges of fear I feel. This girl may be trying to intimidate or unnerve me, but I am a jonin _and_ jinchuuriki qualified for S-rank missions. She is a _genin_. A _rookie_. She stands no chance against me.

"Oh, nothing that you evidently care about," Sakura replies. "You just crippled my mother from the waist down and both her and my useless deadbeat father have permanent burns. You should _really_ see my father's right hand. He only has one usable finger and a swelled thumb on that hand after all of the surgeries and skin grafts! We lost every bit of our savings on trying to heal them both and that was _all _the medical-nin were able to do! What a world, right?"

Sakura begins laughing, it's a bitter, angry, edgy laugh, almost theatrical in its tone. I'm reminded once again of Mizuki, whose own bitterness over the injuries of a loved one finally tempted him into exacting revenge on me. This girl was traveling down the same path, or perhaps even a _worse _one.

Sakura stops laughing and her arms fall limp at her side. Her eyes become completely obscured by her bangs. Her voice softens, but that only amplifies her bitterness. "After the last of my grandparents died when I was six, _I _had to take care of my parents. And you know what happened?"

I look at her arms and legs again. "You got stronger?"

"_No_. I broke like a useless _twig_," Sakura replies.

She takes a deep breath and exhales. "I think I spent three whole days just crying in my room, lost completely in despair and helplessness. But then . . . then . . . I got _angry_."

She smiles again and looks up just a little, so I can see those fierce green eyes through her bangs again. "As much as I despise you, Kushina, my hatred for you gave me motivation to get stronger. That's what I did. Every possible moment when I was not in school or the Academy or taking care of my parents, I forced myself to get stronger, faster, _better_. Now look at me. I think I'm the strongest female genin in all of the Land of Fire, if not the entire world."

This girl . . . is not going to become like Mizuki. She's on track to become something much worse. Missing-nin for sure, but also someone in a few short years could be capable of making an attempt on my life and possibly _win_. Like the people who went after me and the Nine-Tailed Fox twelve years ago.

Perhaps that is why the Hokage has kept Sakura on a team. Because she's already so close to the brink, he's giving her one last chance to save herself.

"Just imagine what I'll be able to do when I get good at chakra control, Kushina. Just imagine."

"You'll succeed in your goal to kill me?" I ask.

Sakura shakes her head. "Don't be an idiot. If I tried to kill you, I'd throw everything away. My parents still need me. They're pathetic but they're still my parents and I still love them. Wishing you were dead is different than actually trying to kill you, Kushina."

She chuckles. "Ino Yamanaka is _such _a bitch, you know? She spread that stupid rumor about me, misconstruing how I feel about you, when I wanted to be part of Team 7 all along. But that's okay. All this proves is that I have no friends. I'm completely alone, other than the pathetic remnants my parents have become. It's nice to know that once and for all."

Now the bitterness doesn't sound so caustic. Vaguely sad, actually. I wonder if deep down Sakura actually does desire friends, desire fitting in.

"Why do you want to be part of Team 7? My son is a member of that team," I say.

Sakura looks up, and her face turns red. Like she's _embarrassed _of all things. "You would be surprised, Kushina."

"Uh huh." I'm not convinced even for a second.

"Would you . . . actually believe that I like Naruto? I really like him?" Sakura asks, her voice softer, her mannerisms shyer.

"Wait . . . wha?" Out of all the things I expected Sakura to say, her admitting a crush on my son is at the bottom of the list. No, not even that. Completely out of consideration, out of my thought process, not even on the list.

"I admire his spirit and his energy. And everything he pulled in the classroom always made me smile. Even his stupid 'Sexy Technique'," Sakura says. "For one small moment, I could let myself be amused, be happy, thanks to him being the class clown. I could just forget about everything and enjoy the moment. You have no idea how much that means to me."

This throws my entire analysis of Sakura Haruno into question. Either she is telling the truth or she has become an exceptionally good actress. I actually can't tell if she's speaking the truth or is faking her emotions. But everything about her in this moment, the sudden shift into embarrassment and shyness and even the blushing, feels authentic.

I am left with the horrific prospect that I can't read this girl because everything she says comes off like she's telling the truth.

"Naruto . . . is the only boy I like," Sakura says. "Not even Sasuke compares to him. Sasuke never made me happy. Never made me smile."

Now tears are forming in her eyes. "I could never kill you, Kushina. I can hate you with every fiber of my being . . . but I like Naruto too much to kill you."

"So, the whole reason you've been doing this is to tell me that I have nothing to fear from you?" I ask.

"I'm just being honest with you." Sakura suddenly takes off at a run across the street and jumps onto a rafter and flips herself up to the top of the roof of a store.

"See you." She vanishes in the next instant, not because of a puff of smoke, but because she moves incredibly fast. The girl is not kidding about her raw speed and athleticism. She likely rivals many chuunin already in that regard.

What a confounding, confusing girl. Is she playing some kind of psychological game with me? Or is something else her goal here? Why in the world would she do this to begin with, admit her hatred of me right in front of my face and then tell me she likes my son?

There's something else going on here. Something I just plain don't see.

Maybe that was Sakura's goal all along. To ensure that I _wouldn't _see.

There's only one thing I can do now.

I am going to meet Sakura Haruno again and figure this girl out once and for all.

Before she turns into the monster she wants to kill.

* * *

When I enter the Hokage's office, it's deserted other than the Hokage himself, who is sitting behind his desk, glancing through papers. I wonder how long he can do this before he goes blind. The Hokage's eyesight is stunning for a man of his age, but still . . .

"You're uncharacteristically late, Kushina," Hiruzen says.

"I apologize, Lord Hokage. I was waylaid by Sakura Haruno," I reply.

Hiruzen's eyes widen, just a little. "You were?"

"She did not make an attempt on my life, if that's what you're thinking," I reply. "Rather, she says she was using me for stealth practice. See how long she can follow me undetected. I don't completely buy her explanation, but that is what she told me."

Hiruzen groans and he shakes his head. "I am doing everything I can to keep that girl from going down a self-destructive path. She physically is on a level higher than any other genin in Konoha other than perhaps Rock Lee. The ANBU want Sakura Haruno under their wing badly, they consider her the best candidate out of the recent genin for their organization."

I could see Sakura hiding behind an ANBU mask someday. She would be one of their most elite and terrifying members, in all likelihood.

Hiruzen just sighs. "Perhaps I am just getting too sentimental. That is what the Council told me when I chose Anko Mitarashi to take Kakashi Hatake's place as head of a prospective Team 7. That I let my personal feelings and sympathies dictate my decisions rather than logic. The Council would have preferred Yugao Uzuki, an ANBU, to take Kakashi's place."

The thought of an ANBU leading Team 7 is ludicrous. An ANBU has better, more important things to do rather than keep an eye on children for possible years on end. Not to mention that Anko's test had been difficult to pass as it was. An ANBU's likely test would have been downright impossible.

Unless it was the Council's intention to not allow Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata to pass.

Perhaps the realization showed on my face, because Hiruzen gave me a small smile. "You know the implications. I can see it on your face, Kushina."

"I can't fathom why the Council would rig a genin test so Naruto and his two teammates could not pass," I say.

"It probably is not because of Naruto. He is just collateral damage that way," Hiruzen replies. "The intention was likely to prevent _Sasuke Uchiha _from passing."

It's Mikoto again. It's not just Hiruzen who is suspicious of Mikoto then. It's the entire Council. Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane are more militaristic and firmer in their beliefs than Hiruzen will ever be. If _they_ are suspicious of Mikoto, she is in _serious _trouble. I am sure that Danzo Shimura, the old bastard, probably is putting them up for this too.

"How would stopping Sasuke from passing a genin test link to how they feel about Mikoto's loyalty at all?" I ask.

"I would not know. Perhaps they feel they would be denying Mikoto a potential ally. But I think it's something else. I think they wanted Sasuke under direct supervision by an ANBU at all times. If Sasuke and his teammates did pass a likely arduous test, so be it, but Sasuke was going to be watched exceptionally closely if they did."

Hiruzen folds his hands and his voice becomes stronger. "But _I _am in charge of this village, not they. They can consider me sentimental if they wish but between Anko Mitarashi, a rookie jonin, and an ANBU in charge of Team 7, I choose the rookie. At the very least the rookie isn't a gross misallocation of resources and personnel the way Yugao would have been. But their motives are becoming increasingly clear to me. Mikoto and her son are not considered trustworthy."

Hiruzen's implied message is clear. I need to get involved with this before a fight truly does erupt between Mikoto and the Konoha leadership. I need to find out the truth. Are the Council and Danzo are trying to set Mikoto up or provoke her into doing some treacherous? Does Mikoto truly have treachery on her mind? If I stay neutral, I am risking a calamity either way.

I am sure it all ties into what happened in the Uchiha Clan Massacre four years ago. Whether Itachi really did kill them all before vanishing. Mikoto claims that Itachi really did do it though, so it just adds to the mystery.

"What do you have in mind for me to do, Lord Hokage?" I ask.

Hiruzen looks up. "I received a message from the Village Hidden In the Waterfall, Taki, yesterday afternoon. They have a jinchuuriki in their village, a girl by the name of Fuu, who harbors the Seven-Tails inside her. They believe Fuu is under threat by outside forces and are requesting reinforcements from the Leaf. An escort will be arriving in our village in a few hours and he will be our guide for the way to Taki. This is at least an A-ranked mission, more likely an S-rank."

Another jinchuuriki like me. It's been years since I last encountered one. Well over a decade, actually. I can't help but feel sympathy for the poor girl. So young and having such a responsibility on her shoulders.

"I understand. You wish to have me protect the girl, then?"

"Actually, to extract her from Taki temporarily and bring her to Konoha until the threat dies down," Hiruzen replies. "I do not have many jonin available for this mission. I have no choice but to assign Mikoto to this mission, and that means assigning Kakashi Hatake to this as well. I know the Council will request an ANBU attachment as well, though the ANBU will likely be disguised as ordinary jonin."

"That sounds like a lot of people," I reply.

"You will also be in danger, Kushina," Hiruzen says. "This is not just for Fuu but for your own safety."

There's no arguing with Hiruzen here. I'm extremely valuable and I will be exposing myself here. And who knows if Fuu would take kindly to being brought to Konoha? If Fuu decides to resist, who else but me would have the power to fight her?

And since Fuu lives in Taki, she undoubtedly is a water nature when it comes to ninjutsu. I have control over fire and wind nature chakra. Fire is effectively useless here. I'll be relying solely on wind if I have to fight Fuu.

This could become exceptionally challenging. And chaotic.

"All right. When do you wish me to leave?" I ask.

"Tomorrow morning, once I have decided upon the total personnel and have an update from the shinobi traveling to here from Taki," Hiruzen replies.

That soon? Not that it surprises me, but . . .

This is a mission that could go on for a couple of weeks. That's leaving Naruto alone for a while. It wasn't a huge deal when Naruto was _not _a genin. Naruto could only go so many places. But now? Naruto is a genin. Even in D-ranks he could still wind up anywhere.

Recognizing how I had to feel, Hiruzen smiles. "Naruto will be kept safe, Kushina. My wife, Biwako, gave her life bringing Naruto into this world. I will not assign Naruto and his team a C-rank while you are gone."

Hiruzen is right. Biwako was in charge of delivering Naruto that night twelve years ago. She had been murdered because she was delivering my baby. It's a horrific feeling to know that my pregnancy, my giving birth, is why my leader's wife no longer lives. That is probably why Hiruzen has been fairly sentimental towards Naruto for all of these years, making sure my son would be as safe as possible. Naruto is the last remnant of Hiruzen's wife that way.

"Thank you, Hiruzen." I know I am addressing him far too informally, but I can't help it. This is more "act of a friend" more than "act of an Hokage".

"You're welcome." Hiruzen folds his hands again. "You are excused, Kushina. Please return to my office tomorrow at eight o'clock in the morning. You will meet your teammates and the guide from Taki then."

"I understand, Lord Hokage." I bow to him and then walk out of his office.

I can only think of who this girl must be. She has to be young. Perhaps she isn't much older than Naruto.

Poor girl. Stuck with a Tailed Beast inside her. At least I was allowed to grow up before becoming the next jinchuuriki for the Nine-Tailed Fox. I can't imagine having a Tailed Beast sealed inside me as a child.

But I'll protect her. That much is certain. She has undoubtedly suffered enough. If I'm going to uproot her, and drag her back to my village, which is a foreign land to this girl, I will protect her. I have to. I _must_.

After all, this could easily have been my own son.

So, so easily . . .


	12. Mission Start

Wow, a lot of people like the redone Sakura. O_O Well then. XD

Because chapter 12 is by far the shortest chapter of the story, I decided to put it up early. Chapter 13 will fall Tuesday and we'll continue the one-a-week pace from there.

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: Mission Start**

I can only imagine how much more miserable Naruto's life would have been if I had died on that night or if Naruto had the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed inside him. Or, even worse, both. I am sure it is because my seal was only damaged, and the creature wasn't unleashed, that Minato opted to repair my seal instead of attempting to transfer the beast to Naruto.

I don't know who thought to throw a dead body on top of me, to hide me from the people who attacked me and my son. Whoever did so saved my life and, indirectly, my son. The person who did that no longer lives. I will never know the answer. But that person, whether it was Minato, Biwako, or someone else, managed to prevent Naruto from becoming the jinchuuriki, kept me from being murdered, and did not allow the Nine-Tailed Fox to be extracted.

That person is a hero. It is my fault, not of the person who did that act, that I went on a rampage and attacked Konoha itself. The ten innocent lives lost that night, and the people wounded, some permanently, aren't on the shoulders of the man or woman who hid me.

They are on mine and mine alone. Along with the poor, isolated life Naruto had to live for so long before I came back home.

I keep dreaming of Naruto as a lonely young child, though. Like now.

Where I see him with a gray T-shirt and dark pants on, paint sprinkled on his face, miscellaneous graffiti on the logo of the store and clay pots, looking fearfully, tearfully, to his right. I don't see the adult about to beat on him. I never do. I just see a monstrous shadow cover my son and all of a sudden my son is being seized and slammed against the wall.

I can never do anything when I dream of scenes like this. Unlike with Minato, I've grown to view these dreams passively. There is nothing I've ever been able to do. My hand phases in and out of the dark shadows beating on my son, and my hand passes through young Naruto as well. I am like a ghost. Which is virtually what I was when Naruto was this young.

No matter how much I scream, no matter how hard I try to fight, how hard I try to become this physical entity and beat on the shadow people attacking my son, no matter how many tears cascade down my cheeks, I can never stop the violence. It is as if my mind is torturing myself.

I try to block it out some days, cover my eyes and close my eyes. Other times I still try to fight back, but, as usual, my hands, my voice, they mean nothing.

Are these Naruto's memories somehow, however distorted they are? Or are they just my visions of Naruto's life as a young child, lost and alone?

I am just so _sick _of having these dreams! Why do I have them? Why do I have to see my son get so hurt?

Get away from my son! Get away from Naruto!

All of you!

_Now_!

Why can I never do anything? Why can't I ever protect Naruto?

Why? Why?

* * *

"Mom!"

I wake up and somehow through my blurry vision I can see Naruto at my beside.

"Naruto." Sometimes I yell for him even in my asleep and he hears me.

I sit up and wrap him in my arms and rest my head on his shoulder. "Mom, really tight! Really tight!" Naruto squeaks out.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I manage, and I loosen my grip on him just enough to let him breathe.

Every time I'm sent on an A-rank or S-rank, which is what I'm qualified for, that's when the dreams of a young, alone Naruto are at their most vivid. I am sure that's why I have these dreams. I'm afraid of leaving Naruto alone all over again, not through abandonment, but with my death.

And now, with Naruto a genin, I'm so scared. I really am.

Naruto slowly, softly returns my embrace. His voice is soft. "Another dream of me as a little kid?"

"Y-Yes."

"Mom, it's okay. It's all in the past."

"I can't help it, Naruto. I really can't. I should've stayed here. I should've been here for you. If-If I had been here, I . . . I . . ." I wish I could finish what I want to say, Naruto. That I would've made sure no violence could have even started. That you wouldn't have done so many pranks to grab attention.

"If I knew you would spend so many nights crying, I never would've let Anko tell you what happened to me," Naruto says. "It wasn't as bad as you think it is, Mom. It really wasn't."

"No five-year-old deserves to be hit in the face," I reply.

Naruto sighs. "Mom, I don't blame you. I really don't."

"I can't help it, Naruto." I stroke the back of his neck, feeling his short blonde hair that is so much like my late husband. How I wish you were here too, Minato. We could've . . . we should've given Naruto siblings to play with. I would have gone through the ten months of pregnancy all over again to give Naruto a brother or sister. I would've been so happy with a larger family.

"Mom, the past is the past. Worry about the future," Naruto says. "Like I keep telling you, what matters is that you came back. What you missed and what you weren't there for can't be changed."

"I _am _worried about the future, Naruto."

"You are?" Naruto sounds surprised.

Should I tell him? Should I really tell him everything? I don't want to keep anything from him, not after keeping the truth about me being a jinchuuriki away from him for so long. Naruto's had enough secrets kept from him. I have to be completely honest with him.

"Naruto, I'm scared, okay? After what happened with Mizuki especially. I'm scared that some low-life maniac is going to try to grab you and kill you when I'm not here. I can't keep it out of my head, w-what Mizuki would've done with you if I had been away on a mission, Naruto."

"That won't happen," Naruto replies firmly. "Believe it. I'm not going to let something like that happen to me ever again. You've got nothing to be scared about, Mom."

"I can't help it," I reply. "I'm scared about what might happen to you."

"Mom, these are D-ranks. All I did yesterday was track down a stupid horse that ran off from its farm," Naruto says. "_I'm _the one who has an excuse to be scared. You're going off on an A-rank today, right? Those actually are dangerous."

"Are you scared?" I ask.

"No, I'm not," Naruto says.

"Why?"

"'Cause you're my mom, that's why."

Oh, Naruto. Until you actually do take an A-rank mission, you won't understand how dangerous they actually are.

But your confidence in me means so much. It makes me feel just a bit stronger.

"Thank you, Naruto."

Naruto lets go of me and smiles. "You feel better now, Mom?"

"Yes, I do. I'll be back before you know it."

Naruto chuckles. "I bet you'll be done so fast that I'll see you tomorrow."

"It's going to take a couple of days just to get there on minimal rest," I reply. "But I'll be back as soon as possible. We're just extracting a girl and bringing her back here. If all goes according to plan, this won't take very long."

"Well then, if I'm still asleep when you have to leave, good luck, Mom. I know you'll do great." Naruto gives me a thumbs-up.

"Thank you. I will." I return the thumbs up.

"Good night, Mom."

"Good night, Naruto."

I lay back in bed, and look at my ceiling. My increasingly familiar ceiling, purchased with the help of the income I get for doing A and S-ranks.

I've worked so hard for this, for Naruto to have a comfortable house to live in, a place he can call "home". To die on Naruto now will be a betrayal of my son and his faith in me. It's bad enough he'll never know his father, the Fourth Hokage. He won't lose me too.

I swear I won't.

* * *

It's been a while since I took this out. Since everyone else was likely going to wear standard jonin uniforms for this mission, I should probably wear one too, not one of my usual dresses which were designed for combat. No need to advertise that I am a super-special jinchuuriki to Taki and its inhabitants, not unless I have to.

I brush off the small amount of dust before I put my jonin uniform and flak vest on. It feels somewhat constricting in comparison to my battle dresses but that's okay. I'll be used to it after a few hours or so. That's how it always works.

Finally, I take my forehead protector, also rarely worn, and wrap it around my head after tying my hair back into a ponytail. After looking at myself in the mirror, I truly do look like an ordinary jonin of Konoha. Which is likely what I would have become if I was not the jinchuuriki.

Anko likes to say that I don't look "sexy" in the standard jonin attire in comparison to my usual clothing, but I could care less about that. Minato was the man I loved. I can't imagine dating any other man, much less re-marrying. Minato was who I gave my heart to. To marry another man just feels like betrayal, not just towards Minato, but to Naruto too. And, if there's going to be a fight, the jonin battle uniform will actually be more useful, especially if I have to utilize any trickery.

With a sigh, I turn and walk out of my bedroom and down the hall. Naruto's door is open a crack, but when I peek in, he's snoozing like the rest of the world means nothing to him.

As much as I think I should let him sleep, I can't help it. "Naruto, I'm leaving. I love you very much."

A pause. Then a very groggy response. "I love you too, Mom."

"I'll be back in a few days. I promise."

"I know."

Even with his voice slurring, he still sounds like he has absolute faith in me. I don't think I have done anything to earn that privilege, but it's nice to have.

I walk over to his bed and kiss him on the forehead. Naruto looks embarrassed. "Mom . . ."

"Goodbye, Naruto."

"Bye, Mom. See you later." He manages to sit upright, just for a moment, and I let him kiss me on the cheek. I briefly hold him in my arms, and then let him fall back into his bed.

"Good luck on your next D-rank, Naruto. You can tell me all about it when I come back."

"I will." Naruto smiles. "Believe it."

"And I'll tell you about my mission too. Count on it." I give Naruto a thumbs-up, and then leave his bedroom behind.

Just enough time left to pack some meal bars and bottled water before I go. Even though this isn't going to be a long trip, something tells me I'm going to need them.

And usually, my intuition is right.

* * *

When I arrive in the Hokage's office, I see five other Konoha jonin standing by the Hokage's desk, along with a young, long-haired man I had never seen before. The long-haired man turned to look at me, and his forehead protector looked different than Konoha's. The symbol was in the form of an arrow pointed downwards, as opposed to the swirling, leaf-esque symbol that was Konoha's symbol.

"Are you . . .?" The young man's voice sounded naive, slightly tentative.

"My name is Kushina Uzumaki, jonin of Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves. I believe I am the last of the squad to arrive here, am I right, Lord Hokage?" I ask, turning towards Hiruzen as I speak.

"You are," Hiruzen says. "Please stand by your fellow jonin."

"Thank you." I bow to him and then walk over towards where Kakashi is standing, on the edge of the group.

I only recognize the exposed face of Mikoto and the significantly-covered face of Kakashi. The other three jonin do not look familiar to me at all, they have to be ANBU.

One man, brown-haired, had a very plain face and dark eyes. Perhaps almost _too _plain, like he was a total blank slate. He was a little eerie to look at.

The other two didn't look so eerie. One man, older, with dark hair, seemed almost normal, he reminds me of Kakashi in a way. The last of the likely ANBU was a woman with long violet hair and slightly sunken, melancholy brown eyes.

"You were almost late, Kushina," Kakashi says.

"I apologize. But I wasn't late, was I?"

Kakashi's lone exposed eye closes, and I can just make out the outline of a smile underneath his mask. "No, you were not."

"I thought so."

Hiruzen clears his throat. "This is Shibuki, a chuunin of Taki, the Village Hidden in the Waterfall. He has come here to be your guide to his village as well to find your objective, a girl named Fuu. Shibuki, you can explain the general situation to the squad."

"Uh, yes." Shibuki swallows just a bit tentatively. Something tells me he hasn't seen much combat, at least by the standards of a normal chuunin.

"The Waterfall Village is currently undergoing some turmoil right now. There is a man named Suien who took advantage of a recent power vacuum and has seized power in the village. I take great pains to emphasize that I am not here as an official representative of Taki, but of the opposition to Suien."

Shibuki's voice turns grave. "We believe Suien has contacted some unsavory individuals and will betray Fuu, the jinchuuriki of our village, to them. She houses the Seven-Tails inside her. I was told that one among you is the Nine-Tails, so you all should have an idea of what you're getting yourselves into."

Thankfully, no one in my group turns and looks at me, or even takes a quick glance. It seems that Hiruzen had passed down an order to my squadmates that while Shibuki would know that the jinchuuriki would be among the squad heading to Taki, he wouldn't know who the jinchuuriki is. It was a sign that Hiruzen didn't completely buy Shibuki's story, and if there's a plot to ensnare me, one of the other ninja, likely an ANBU, would pretend to be the jinchuuriki in my place.

Our of the corner of my eye, the only person who seems to react, just a bit, is the violet-haired woman. And the only betrayal is her eyes widening just a little more. I wonder if Shibuki is supposed to notice that or not. If he does, he will naturally assume that this woman is likely Konoha's jinchuuriki.

That makes Hiruzen's strategy even more clear to me, though. This violet-haired woman is here to be my decoy. And if Shibuki notices and passes the information on to anyone hostile, any enemies will target the violet-haired woman instead of me.

But that won't happen. She may be an ANBU, and blindly follow the orders given to her like they all do, but no one sacrifices themselves for my sake. I don't think lives should just be thrown away.

The eerie man begins to speak. His voice is on the deeper side, cool, calm, calculated. He does a decent job of seeming normal, almost casual, however. "What has Suien been doing to Taki that would incite a resistance movement against him?"

"He has become a exceptionally bitter man," Shibuki replies. "He was denied power about a decade ago, and he became a missing-nin five years later. Three months ago, in the wake of our previous leader's death, Suien returned and seized control. He has a trio of mercenaries with him, their names are Hisame, Kirisame, and Murasama. They seem to be from Ame, the Village Hidden in the Rain, judging by their forehead protectors. They are quite strong, skilled in water ninjutsu, and they do not show mercy towards anyone directly opposing Suien."

Shibuki shakes his head. "But it gets worse. The people of Taki are not overall fond of Fuu. There has been a long, deep-seated fear of her by many in the village since she had the Seven-Tails sealed inside her as a child. What is keeping Suien in power is that he is exploiting people's fears of Fuu, so people pay attention to her while he is slowly taking everyone's rights away. By the time Fuu is betrayed, Suien's power grab will likely be complete and nearly impossible to defeat."

"Do you wish for us to remove Suien from power while we're there, then?" the eerie man asks.

Shibuki pauses, and then he looks down. "For Fuu's safety, we would prefer if the six of you infiltrated the village with me and, with the help of other resistance members, extract Fu quietly. If it becomes clear in the coming days that Suien will be changing Taki's primary alliance from Konoha to a less savory nation, we will ask for Konoha's assistance in assassinating Suien and his bodyguards."

Shibuki's hands turn into fists. "Suien was my teacher. Even though he was not present to see me become a chuunin, Suien's guidance is what allowed me to attain this rank. For personal reasons, I would prefer that assassinating him comes as a last resort. I want to give him once last chance to come to his senses."

"May I ask who is leading this resistance movement?" the eerie man asks.

Shibuki looks up. "Um, my aunt. Her name is Mika."

"I understand," the eerie man says. "We will introduce ourselves to you then. You may call me Yamato."

No last name. Not that Shibuki gave a last name for himself or his aunt, but some villages do not use family names. Konoha, however, _does_use family names. Interesting that this "Yamato" will not give it out.

"My name is Kisuke Maboroshi," replies the older man. His voice is cultured, soft.

"I am Yugao Uzuki," says the violet-haired woman who is likely my decoy. Her voice is soft like Kisuke's, perhaps even gentle-sounding, but deep and throaty in comparison to Kisuke's smoother tone.

If Hiruzen is correct, she is the woman the Council would have picked for Team 7, too. She could have been in charge of my son right now. Interesting. Maybe I should have a talk with her if I get the chance before we get to Taki.

"Kakashi Hatake, at your service," says Kakashi.

"Mikoto Uchiha," Mikoto adds softly.

"And you have already met me," I say. "Kushina Uzumaki."

"Glad to meet you all. I'm honored to have so many jonin from Konoha respond to our calls for help," Shibuki says, and he bows to us.

"Yamato" looks over to Hiruzen. "I assume we are to leave as soon as possible, Lord Hokage."

"You all are. If the situation is as bad as Shibuki says, time is of the essence. We cannot afford to allow a Tailed Beast to fall into the wrong hands. You are to leave at once," Hiruzen says. "Good luck to you all."

"I think we're gonna need it," Kakashi sighs from next to me. That just makes me nervous. When Kakashi is pessimistic about a mission, that's usually a huge warning sign, and that puts Kakashi on the list of people to talk to after Yugao Uzuki.

Kakashi has good instincts. He's one of the few people who I can trust outside my tiny circle. I don't consider Kakashi a "friend", but he is definitely a friendly acquaintance and I know I can trust him. He is seeing something I'm not, and I'm going to need to know what that is, just in case that I don't see a trap coming before it's too late.

"Right. We're moving out. Lead the way, Shibuki," "Yamato" says.

"'Yamato' is the name you're using now, 'Tenzo'?" Kakashi mutters again. I think he's doing this on purpose. He _wants _me to hear this. He's basically giving me a signal to talk to him as soon as I possibly can.

Either something is wrong or something is extremely curious. Or _both_.

I guess I'll talk to Kakashi first and Yugao Uzuki later.

"Everyone, follow me," Shibuki says, and then he turns towards the Hokage and bows once again. "Thank you very much. Taki will _never_forget your kindness, Lord Hokage."

"Just move fast, if Fuu is in as much danger as you say," Hiruzen replies. That's just like Hiruzen. Right to the point.

"R-Right," Shibuki says. "Follow me, please."

"You said that already," Mikoto growls, and Shibuki blinks in response.

"Uh, right. Come on," Shibuki says with a nervous smile on his face, and then he begins moving towards the exit, and we all begin to follow him.

I don't like this. Just by hearing what this "Suien" is doing in Taki, this has already become an S-rank, easily. And now our commander is a man only going by the name "Yamato"? Something suspicious is going on.

Are these ANBU here to save Fuu, truthfully? Or is there another goal in mind? I can't imagine Hiruzen having dark ulterior motives, but what about the Council? And Danzo Shimura? They could definitely have something planned that I don't know about. And Kakashi might know what that is.

One thing is becoming clear though. Something is definitely wrong. And I'm going to find out what that is.

Before Fuu . . . and I, just become pawns in some unknown game.


	13. Empty Starlight

**Chapter Thirteen: Empty Starlight**

I used to love the stars. I used to imagine what could be around them. Other worlds just like this one? What other forms of life could exist? How could the stars form these intricate constellations in the sky? It made me long to explore, it made me restless, it made me love this world.

When Minato died, the stars felt empty to me. Just completely, utterly, pointless. Just decoration that didn't mean anything one way or another, other to keep track of direction without a compass. Minato's death took something out of me, and that something loved the stars. I don't know what it is I lost that night, but I wish I still had it. I wish I could still look up and care what was up there.

Not even the moon means much of anything to me anymore. It's just a white-grey globe that fades in and out now. I remember wanting to know how that was possible. Do I still want to? Of course I do, but it's at the bottom of the list of so many other more important things. Essentially, it's so low that I will never find out, and it doesn't matter to me whether I do.

Minato, I am sure you know what has happened to me. Why my fascination with the stars no longer matters to me. I wish you would tell me what is wrong with me. I am missing something, something I had, something that made me _me_, and that is a part of me that you loved. That is a part of me that Naruto would love, too. But I just can't find it, and when I think about finding it . . . I just don't care enough.

Please tell me, Minato. Some day. Somehow. I must know.

"You holding up?" Kakashi asks from my right.

We've left the forests that surround the area around Konoha. Taki is surrounded by a gigantic forest too, but there is a long plain between the two villages. Occasionally broken up by a tree, it's just one long prairie, filled with grains and long grass, with some farms here and there.

Despite the presence of brigands and traveling ninja, there is actually an unofficial code among the less-than-desirable people around here: leave the farmers alone. The farmers are the breadbasket of the Land of Fire. Everyone, whether civilian, rogue, innocent, knave, is reliant on them. Just let the farmers do their jobs so everyone can eat regardless of what they do for a living.

I feel exposed out here, though. Just because the farmers are untouchable doesn't mean we are.

"I'm fine. The sooner we're back in a forest though, the better, though," I reply.

Kakashi chuckles. "I had a feeling you'd say that."

Even after four years spent mostly in Konoha, the most natural sounds to me are the sound of a forest. I spent six years completely alone in one, with hardly any human contact except for a random stranger who would pass by my cabin. The noises of crickets, cicadas, bees, toads, birds, sound far more comforting to me than the humanistic bustling of Konoha.

"Why are you so concerned, Kakashi?" I ask him.

"No real reason. I just noticed that you've fallen a bit to the back," Kakashi says.

Both Kakashi and I are on the tail end of our group. Shibuki is leading the way, but we've had to stop multiple times because Shibuki's conditioning is just not on the level of any of us. Shibuki just can't keep running for hours on end. And I can understand his lack of endurance, especially in a prairie, where there's no trees.

There's a reason why I'm in the back. If something happens, I want to be able to react to it right away without stopping. If I'm out front and something attacks the middle, I'm going to have to stop and turn around. That could give an enemy the opportunity to catch me in an awkward position. But here, in the back, if someone attacks the front or the middle, I can strike right away without a moment's hesitation, and turn the tables.

Of course, I can't fall so far back that I'm isolated in the event of an ambush. It's a difficult balance, I admit.

I don't want to explain this to Kakashi, though. "There's nothing to be concerned about. I'm okay."

"Well, all right. I think we're going to stop soon anyway. Shibuki looks like he's about to collapse," Kakashi says.

Just as he says that, I see Shibuki fall flat on his face in the trail. The closest ninja to him, Kisuke, puts up his hand, and we all stop. "I think we all need to take a break," Kisuke says.

"S-Sorry," Shibuki moans from the ground.

"Don't be," 'Yamato' says. He looks at me and Kakashi. "Kakashi, you and Kushina go check the perimeter. It's late, I think we should set up camp for the night."

"Understood, 'Tenzo'," Kakashi says, a knowing tone in that voice.

"Don't call me that," 'Yamato' responds, for the first time showing emotion on that eerie, blank face of his, a look of mild annoyance. "It's 'Yamato', Kakashi."

"Right, 'Tenzo'." Kakashi sounds highly amused, and the more amused Kakashi seems, the more dismayed 'Yamato' seems.

"Just go," 'Yamato' says.

Kakashi sighs. "Yes, I'm on it."

Kakashi moves to the right, and I follow him. It's a relaxed pace, a fast walk, through the grass. I listen intently for the sounds of anything that may not be wildlife, but I hear nothing, other than the sound of a cow mooing in the distance. Sounds like we may be close to a farm.

"'Tenzo', huh?" I ask Kakashi.

"That was the name he went by when I worked with him years ago," Kakashi says. "It's curious he calls himself Yamato now. Amusing, too."

"Is Tenzo his real name?" I ask.

"I have no idea. It could be Tenzo. It could be Yamato. He's a mysterious man, but that's true of many ANBU and ex-ANBU. And when they pretend to be common ninja, they can take on personas you don't expect. I am most amused by Yugao Uzuki's 'rookie jonin' persona in particular."

Personally, I couldn't tell that Yugao was putting on an act at all, but I guess it takes a former ANBU like Kakashi to tell what an ANBU is up to. Yugao . . . strikes me as someone acting a bit more melancholy and vulnerable. I am sure she is not this way for real. She's just trying to seem more _wounded _to Shibuki, trying to sell that she could very well be the jinchuuriki.

Kisuke is the only ANBU who seems to be acting naturally. He's been more compassionate than either Yamato or Yugao so far, suggesting to take a break every time Shibuki is at the end of his endurance, and taking charge of getting Shibuki back up to full strength. And it doesn't strike me as an act at all. I don't know for sure, though. You can never be too sure about ANBU.

Kakashi is different. He is no longer ANBU. He has spent time out here in the real world. Even when he was ANBU Minato and I knew him pretty well. The isolation and mystery of a typical ANBU never applied to Kakashi. That's why I feel comfortable with him. That's why I know I can trust him.

"I think Yugao is trying to be my decoy," I say.

Kakashi chuckles. "She _is _your decoy."

"I wonder how she feels, pretending to be the jinchuuriki, knowing that if someone malicious is watching us, she'll be the one targeted?"

"She knows it is part of the mission. I don't think it bothers her at all. You can't let anything bother you when you've become ANBU," Kakashi replies. "You just do what you're told."

"Is acting lonely and vulnerable part of the mission?" I ask.

"Jinchuuriki _are _typically outcasts and loners," Kakashi says. "I am sure that vulnerability and loneliness are typical traits found in them. You yourself have those traits, Kushina."

Knowing that Kakashi is right doesn't make me feel any better. And I don't want this conversation turned on _me_. I don't want to be cross-examined by Kakashi psychologically today. "What do they do? Just hand them a list of personality traits or something?" I ask.

"It depends. When you are pretending to be someone else, you are told what that someone else is, and you're given guidelines and background information. And then you form your temporary alter ego out of what's been given to you and what you come up with for yourself. I've done that a few times myself when I've had to go undercover," Kakashi replies.

"Like how you were going to go undercover to watch Mikoto?" I ask.

I can't see most of Kakashi's face, but he seems to give me a pained look. "Give me more credit than that, Kushina," he says with a sigh.

"You _were_ originally going to be Naruto and Sasuke's sensei," I reply. "But I've heard you've been assigned a secret mission. I _know _it's to watch Mikoto. The Hokage himself said as much."

"Something tells me this is what you wanted to talk about from the start," Kakashi says softly.

"I want to know why the Hokage is suspicious of Mikoto," I say. "I know he says he has 'evidence', but I want to know what's going on. And why the Council was intent on having Yugao Uzuki be the sensei of Team 7."

Kakashi stops, and I stop with him. "To be honest, a lot of what you're asking about is classified and you know that, Kushina. And I don't have all of the answers either. I can't say why the Council wanted Yugao Uzuki to be in charge of your son and Mikoto's son. She must have something the Council thinks is appropriate for Team 7. What that might be, I don't know."

"I know why they would want an active ANBU in charge of Team 7. It's either to keep Sasuke under close watch or to ensure he would not pass the genin test and have to be sent back to the Academy. They think he could join Mikoto in some treasonous plot," I say.

Kakashi shakes his head. "Kushina, there's nothing concrete about what Mikoto could be up to. All of the links that say Mikoto is a potential traitor dry up after the Uchiha Clan Massacre. But . . ."

Kakashi sighs. "You probably don't know this, but there's evidence that Mikoto was hit with some kind of genjutsu in the aftermath of the massacre. You saw how distressed Mikoto was at the scene yourself."

"I think _anyone _would be distressed if their entire clan was murdered," I reply.

"Point taken," Kakashi says with a sigh. "That's the knock against the 'genjutsu' theory, actually, to explain Mikoto Uchiha's behavior since the massacre. But don't you think that Mikoto has changed rather drastically since the massacre? That she doesn't act quite like herself?"

Yes, it's been pointed out to me more than once. And it's understandable. Sasuke is all Mikoto has left. Seeing all of that death, knowing you and your two sons are all that's left, and one of said sons is responsible for the massacre, that _would_ change you! But what everyone else is going on here, in psychoanalyzing Mikoto, is that she has changed _too much_.

"She _has _been rather neglectful of Sasuke at times. She didn't even attend the graduation," I reply. "But she still loves Sasuke. I know that much."

Kakashi just shakes his head. "I would agree. But I want to tell you one last thing, Kushina."

"What is it?" I ask.

"Itachi Uchiha was considered to be one of the strongest mental torturers in all of the ANBU Black Ops," Kakashi says.

"So?" I ask.

"Mikoto claims she encountered Itachi that night after discovering her clan had been murdered. Put two and two together," Kakashi says.

Kakashi didn't even need to finish what he was saying for me to understand. "Itachi . . . would have tortured his own _mother_?"

"_That_ is the concern about all of this. Itachi may have done something horrific to Mikoto. I don't know all of the circumstances, but the Council and Danzo Shimura, from what I can infer, seem to fear that Mikoto could have been turned into a sleeper agent or some kind of time bomb by Itachi Uchiha. _That _is what the Council fears. That is what Danzo fears. And even the Hokage, as loyal as he is to his subordinates, he fears that too."

The thought that Itachi would be monstrous enough to torture his own mother is bad enough by itself. Though, on second thought, torturing her isn't so far-fetched, not when he slaughtered his entire clan. But why would Itachi torture Mikoto and not kill her? And why would Itachi leave Sasuke seemingly untouched and solely subject Mikoto to his torture? Why Mikoto and not some random member of the clan?

Why? Why his mother?

Why my best friend?

These questions alone are enough to make _anyone _paranoid over Mikoto. Including me. It's so overwhelming, so layered, that even I have the brief vision of Mikoto slaughtering the three ANBU with us on this mission, and Kakashi and I returning to Mikoto with her covered in blood.

No. No. I know she wouldn't. This has to be some kind of mistake. Mikoto wouldn't do anything like that! I know her!

She _saved my son twelve years ago_!

My best friend would never let herself be somebody else's instrument or be used against my village. Or against me. Mikoto just isn't that kind of person!

Yes, she changed. She definitely has. Anyone would after seeing so much carnage that night. But there's still enough of the old Mikoto in her, isn't there? I can see the old Mikoto still in her sometimes! I know she isn't just some puppet being manipulated or some revenge-driven psychopath!

She's her own person, and she is still Mikoto Uchiha!

How could Itachi even have enough time to torture Mikoto in the first place? Konoha already knew that the Uchiha Clan was dead before Mikoto even got there. Mikoto was informed right in Naruto and Anko's apartment! Itachi would've had no chance to escape if he waited around for Mikoto, much less put together some kind of elaborate torture, whether physical or through genjutsu!

It doesn't add up!

"She can't be," I say. "I _know _her, Kakashi. She's not who you think she is. I know there has to be some order to kill her if she tries to do something, but-"

"Kushina. That is enough of this conversation," Kakashi says. "I've let you have your say in what _you_ want to discuss. Now, we're moving the topic to _my _choice."

"Kakashi-"

"Stop, Kushina."

Kakashi sounds dead serious, and maybe even a little forceful. He truly has had enough.

"Fine," I say. "I understand."

Kakashi just sighs, and his voice relaxes. "I apologize. But I've already said too much to you about this matter. What you need to worry about now, is the Taki situation. I think we could be walking into trouble the moment we get there."

"You're saying that something isn't adding up about _this_, now," I say. It's not a question.

"I think that there is a strong possibility we will arrive too late to save Fu, and we could be walking into a trap," Kakashi says. "I wanted to tell you straight up that if some unsavory individuals have taken Fu, and they're lying in wait to take _you_, I don't even want you to consider fighting. Just get out of Taki and run back to Konoha."

"Just run away, like I did twelve years ago?" I ask.

"This is different, Kushina, don't give me that," Kakashi sighs. "I am sure that the forces that would want a jinchuuriki would want _you_as well, Kushina."

Way to speak the obvious, Kakashi. "I'm not a young girl like Fu. I am more than capable of defending myself against any attackers, even S-ranks. I have both fire nature and wind nature ninjutsu ready to use at a moment's notice, and you've seen how strong my taijutsu is."

"It's not in your interests to get involved in a battle against people who are skillful enough to restrain a jinchuuriki," Kakashi says.

I know what Kakashi is saying. In the event that everything goes to hell, save myself. Don't let myself fall into their hands. I am Konoha's jinchuuriki. I am more valuable than everyone else in this party combined.

At the same time, abandoning my allies in an intense battle just doesn't sit right with me. I've already run away once. I ran away because of my own cowardice and fear. I let my cowardice override my love for my son, and that is why I ran away and hid in a remote area for six years after spending two years in disguise trying to find one.

"I don't think we should discuss hypotheticals like that," I say. "I think that it'll become clear whether something evil or not is going on inside the village before we have to enter it. If the battle is already lost before it starts, then we can _all _leave. But if there's a chance to save Fu, I'm staying. I'm not letting anyone get their hands on a young girl."

"I just have a bad feeling that we're going to be too late. It took days for Shibuki to get to Konoha in the first place. By the time we get there, it'll be a week since Shibuki left for Konoha. Much could have changed in that amount of time," Kakashi says.

Is Kakashi _trying _to scare me? I mean, I know I want to go home to Naruto, but . . .

Oh.

That's why I should retreat if things go to hell, isn't it?

I promised Naruto I would come back home. If I stay and fight, against a force capable of capturing a jinchuuriki, there's a good chance I won't, is there?

I am not going to die on Naruto. That much is clear. But I can't run away either. Not from saving a young girl's life. At the same time, leaving Naruto alone again . . .

Damn it.

"I understand," I finally say. I don't want to hear this anymore. I know Kakashi is just reminding me to stay safe, but I don't want to hear this right now. I don't even want to consider the possibility that we might be too late. The thought is sobering.

There has to be enough time to save Fu's life and try to find out what's going on inside Taki.

There just has to!

"Thank you," Kakashi says. "Tenzo is one of the absolute best there is in ANBU Black Ops. I am sure he would not be here if there wasn't a high risk of this being a trap. I don't know why Kisuke and Yugao are here, but I'm sure they were selected for various reasons. You are right on Yugao being your decoy, it's too obvious. Taki likely does know that the jinchuuriki of our village is a woman."

I don't want to talk to Kakashi anymore. All he's done is make me feel useless. First with Mikoto, now with this. Why am I even along on this mission if I have to run away at the first sign of trouble?

It can't really be just in case Fu decides to fight rather than leave Taki, is there? Maybe I'm along just to make short work of Suien and his followers for all I know. Or maybe they're hoping that since I'm a jinchuuriki, Fu would identify with me and make it easier for her to trust the Konoha ninja.

I just don't know. The Council, and Hiruzen, are just becoming more confusing to me by the day.

"Can we just return to the camp site? I am sure we would have attracted an ambush by now after all of this talking," I say.

Kakashi lets out a soft chuckle. "Certainly."

We walk back to the trail in silence, Kakashi leading the way. I just want this mission to be over with, already. All that this has done is make me concerned about Naruto all over again, more than myself.

Kakashi has made me worried about Mikoto too. It's like they're trying to set her up. I know Kakashi wouldn't have any part in setting Mikoto up, but still . . .

This whole thing just doesn't feel right.

* * *

After a couple of minutes, I suddenly see a two-story house erected where we had left the others behind.

"What the . . ." Have I fallen into some kind of genjutsu? There _definitely _wasn't a house at this trail before, much less one this big. I don't have to be an S-rank nin to know that.

Kakashi chuckles. "Oh, Tenzo."

"What?" I ask. "Did Tenzo, or 'Yamato', or whoever the hell he is, do this?"

"Oh, you've never seen Tenzo's techniques before?" Kakashi asks.

"I never even met the man before this mission," I reply. "So forgive me for not being familiar with . . . with whatever he did."

Kakashi chuckles again. "That is a first-hand look at Tenzo's Four-Pillar House Technique. Tenzo has a rather . . . _unique _set of techniques that he can use by combining Earth and Water Style techniques into the Wood Style."

"Wood Style Techniques?" I had heard of that style before. The First Hokage had that kind of ability. It was unique only to him and thought to have been lost when the First Hokage had died. But 'Yamato' had just demonstrated a mastery of such an ability right _now_. What does this mean? Did the First Hokage pass it down, or is 'Yamato' a descendent of the First Hokage?

What does this mean?

The front door of the house opens, and I see the man Kakashi calls 'Tenzo' but would prefer to be called 'Yamato'. "I _thought_that there were people outside. The perimeter clear?"

"Yes," Kakashi says.

"All right. I'll set up a barrier to prevent others from accessing this house, 'Yamato' replies.

"Why do you not want to be called 'Tenzo' anymore?" I ask as we walk past him.

"It's an old code-name. That's all it is," the man replies.

"Is it, 'Tenzo'?" I ask.

'Yamato' just gives Kakashi a _look_. "Please don't tell me you got her in the habit of saying my old code-name _too_, Kakashi."

"Maybe, maybe not, 'Tenzo'," Kakashi says mysteriously.

'Yamato' just sighs. "This is going to be a _loooooooong _mission," he mutters.

The situation is just amusing enough to make me smile. "We'll see, won't we, 'Tenzo'?"

'Yamato' responds by leaning his head against the exterior of his house. "Just let me make my seal in peace," he seems to half-beg.

"Sure, 'Tenzo'," I say.

'Yamato' responds with an incoherent moan.

That makes me feel mildly better. Even the ANBU Black Ops can be human too when they feel like it.

At least they're more human than those who would target a young girl just because of the beast inside her.

Or would target my son just to capture me.

I wonder if they could be the same people. Could they? It's been twelve years, but it's not inconceivable, isn't it?

If it is the same people, the same organization, that went after me twelve years ago, as far-fetched as it seems? I . . .

I'm going to finish what I started with them.

I can hear the Nine-Tails' voice. It's the first time in a long time I have heard it speak to me.

_You seriously think I will allow you to just take my chakra and use it for yourself after ignoring me for all these years?_

I won't give you a choice, beast. I'm coming home to Naruto, and I'm going to save that girl. You won't stop me.

_That's what you and your predecessor always said. That's all you humans ever need me for. Like I'm just some never-ending vial of power that you drink out of whenever you need it! Pathetic. You and your predecessor._

Mito was _not_ pathetic, monster. She passed you down to me. She was the one who sealed you in the first place. She is anything but _pathetic_.

_So you say_.

If Mito is pathetic, monster, what does that say about _you_, hmm?

No answer?

I thought so.

I'm going to go rest now, monster. You'll know if I need you. I'm coming home to my son and saving that girl. You may not appreciate such noble goals, but that's what I'm going to do.

Still no answer?

Fine, be that way. You have nothing interesting or unpredictable to say, anyway. That's something I've always known about you.

"Something wrong, Kushina?" Kakashi asks.

"Nothing," I say. "Just lost in thought. I'm going to go turn in. I'll be the last watch of the night."

"Hmm." Kakashi sounds a little suspicious. Not that I blame him.

"I'm all right, Kakashi. I can take care of myself, okay? Good night," I say.

"Good night," Kakashi says.

I go upstairs and take out my cot. 'Yamato' or 'Tenzo' or whoever he is may be skilled at building houses out of nowhere, but he needs to learn a Bed Construction Technique, preferably with a Blanket Knitting Technique and Mattress Formation Technique as well. _Then_this will truly be convenient.

Still, it's better than sleeping on the ground.

I close my eyes, and try to sleep. Hopefully I'll have some decent dreams for a change.

I don't want to wake up in tears again. Not in front of Mikoto, or Kakashi, or three complete strangers.

I don't need them more worried about me than they already are.

That's just something I won't accept. Can't accept.

Never accept.


	14. Name

I apologize for not posting yesterday, I was really busy and forgot about it to be honest.

imsabbel: Sakura's big role in the story comes mostly in the second half. That was basically a preview of things to come there with Sakura. I apologize.

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen: Name**

A memory of Naruto that sticks out to me happened about two weeks after I returned from my self-imposed exile. In Konoha for young children there are education classes in the morning, teaching reading, mathematics, etcetera, followed by basic ninja school in the afternoon. In-between education and ninja school is an hour-long recess for children to unwind and be with their parents or family if they choose.

I did not visit Naruto during this recess during the first week of my return. Hiruzen told me that it was a bad idea, that word was only starting to come out that I returned, and that it would be best if Konoha gradually began to realize I was back. After a week had gone, though, Konoha had become aware of my return and many were not happy, Hiruzen's desk was a literal flood of complaints from the people questioning _why_. Why would the Hokage allow someone who killed ten people and wounded scores more to return to the village. Why restore me from a _missing-nin_right back to a Konoha S-rank jonin? Why did I deserve such a pardon?

It died down a little in the second week. I took pains for people to only see glimpses of me, and Anko handled most of Naruto's activities. Essentially, she was making sure that Naruto, who_was_ exposed, didn't eat any of the abuse that people wanted to give _me_. They all knew that I was Naruto's mother.

That week, Anko had to leave for a few days because of a C-rank. That meant Naruto was alone. Despite Hiruzen's warnings, I didn't want Naruto to be alone during the recess period. It was not unusual for parents to visit their children during the recess period, giving them lunches, playing with them, asking them about their day. As many of the parents were active Konoha ninja, it wasn't an every day occurance, but it was common. That meant all this time Naruto had to watch every mother and father visit their children at least a couple times a month. He was always alone, except when Anko was available to visit, but that's not the same as a _parent_.

So I decided that for the first time in his life, Naruto's mother was going to visit him during his damn recess.

I avoided the main streets for obvious reasons, instead using my athleticism to run around and climb up buildings and jump from roof to roof until I was on top of a small store located across the street from the school. And there I saw him, my son, sitting on the swing alone while the other kids were either playing or talking to their visiting parents.

Anko had warned me that Naruto had no friends, but seeing that happen in front of my eyes was still a shock. It was inconceivable that a kid could go through life without one single friend, but there he was. Alone. The only child alone on that playground, actually.

Why did my son have to suffer for my mistake? What had Naruto done to deserve such clear and obvious shunning? It wouldn't surprise me if the only time kids paid attention to Naruto was just to pick on him, either. No wonder Naruto acted out and did the things he did.

Hiruzen's warnings echoed throughout my mind, and that made me hesitate. Just for a moment.

Then I decided that the blasted warnings didn't matter. That was my son sitting there. He was going to be visited by his mother.

I jumped down from the roof and ran across the cobbled street and jumped right over the fence and into the school grounds. Technically, I wasn't supposed to do that, but the main entrance was crowded with kids and parents, and I didn't want to create a scene. These parents knew me, they were my age or older in general, and even if they didn't know who I looked like, I was a stranger in town. Konoha doesn't get many new residents other than those born inside the community. Regardless, many of these parents knew the legend of the "Red-Hot Habanero" that wound up becoming the jinchuuriki. My hair was just as long, and every bit of red, as that "Red-Hot Habanero". They would know in an instant who I was.

They didn't notice me sneaking into the grounds at all. I wouldn't make an S-class jonin if I wasn't able to pull _that _off. The corner I had chosen had several trees in it, obscuring my arrival from all, including from Naruto.

He hadn't even heard me come. His back was to me, just slowly swinging back and forth, his head looking down at the ground. Brief thoughts about _literally_surprising him rushed through my head, but I quashed those ideas. Making Naruto freak out would surely draw attention to me.

So I just slowly walked behind him. My heart was pounding, surprisingly. I felt a brief inclination to turn around and stop this right now, but I couldn't bring myself to.

But seeing my son in front of my eyes somehow brought a giant smile to my face, and when I spoke, my voice sounded soft and sweet even to me. "Hi, Naruto. How's your day so far?"

Naruto still nearly jumped out of the swing, but he turned and looked at me with wide blue eyes. "M-Mom?"

"I brought you lunch today. I hope you like it even though it isn't hot."

Naruto still looked like his mind had been blown, but when I offered him the lunchbox he still took it from me and opened it. "I . . . I don't know what to say, Mom. Thank you."

I rubbed his forehead. "Go ahead and enjoy it, okay? Take your time, I'm not going anywhere."

Naruto softly but quickly devoured his food for the next minute or so, and I just knelt there in front of the swing, watching him. Something told me that Naruto probably didn't eat too many meals in-between education classes and ninja school. I knew you could buy baked lunches at the cafeteria, but you had to pay, and Naruto probably didn't have money to do that every day.

"Is it good, Naruto?"

"It is," Naruto said with a wide smile. "Everything you make is the best."

"I'm sure there's something I'm not that good at," I replied.

"Well, we haven't found that yet," Naruto said cheerfully. "I can't believe you came here. Didn't the old Hokage guy tell you not to? That's what I heard Anko said a couple days ago or somethin'."

"I just thought your mother should visit you, that's all," I replied. "Every other kid's been visited by their parent except you."

"Well, there's that creepy Sakura girl. Her parents never show up either," Naruto said.

"Really? Why don't we find her and play with her for a little while?"

"Didn't you hear me say she's creepy, Mom?"

"Oh, right." At the time, it didn't occur to me to think _why_Sakura would be alone all the time. I had no clue who she was, or even what she looked like. Out of sight, out of mind, as cruel as that sounds.

"This tastes so good," Naruto says. "Much better than the cafeteria food."

"What's wrong with the cafeteria food?" I ask.

"The food I get from there is always disgusting or burned or both. It drives me crazy," Naruto says. "Everyone else gets nice food from the cafeteria, so why can't I?"

For the first time since I had returned to Konoha, I was _angry_. This was how they treated Naruto? No wonder he caused trouble! No wonder he was acting out! No one made him feel welcome!

They were taking their anger at me out on my innocent son. Punishing _him _for what I did. I looked over at the other parents, who were still absorbed with their own children, and felt a sudden desire to call them all out, regardless of the scene I made. How dare they do this to my son! Make him feel like an exile in his own town!

"I finally just stopped paying for cafeteria food, you know?" Naruto continues, not noticing how angry I was getting. "It's better to just wait to eat until I can come home. At least it's not guaranteed to be burned every single time."

As he said this, it occurred to me that he shouldn't see me angry. He had only known me for two weeks. He shouldn't have to worry about me. Or know how gigantic of a mistake I made in leaving Konoha, leaving him, and killing and injuring so many people.

"It's all right," I said, forcing my voice to be as smooth and calm as possible. I stroked his face. "You won't have to worry about burned food anymore, okay? It's not going to happen again."

The only way I could move past my anger in that moment was to shower Naruto with as much love and affection as possible. Looking at him just made me smile and calm down. It was almost as if being around my son put me at peace. "Now, instead of just sitting on this swing, how about we find out how high I can push you?"

"Huh?" Naruto asks.

"Have you had anyone push you on the swing before?" I ask.

"Well, not really. Anko likes playing with me on other things, but she thinks the swing is stupid," Naruto says.

"Well, she's going to find out she's wrong. C'mon, let's see how high you can go," I say.

Before long, that's what I was doing, pushing Naruto on the swing, sending him high in the air. "Higher! Higher!" Naruto yells down to me.

"If I send you any higher you'd do a flip and I don't think you'd like that!" I yelled back.

During the middle of that, I looked over at the crowd, and, _finally_, they had noticed me.

No one smiled. Most looked tentative, fearful, some flinched when I looked their way. Other pushed their children behind them, as if to shield them from me. A minority looked furious, but no one came forward.

I was clearly not welcome.

I never knew the classic "jinchuuriki loneliness" before. Before Minato died, I was an accepted member of the village despite the knowledge of me having the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed inside. Mito, my predecessor, my guide to understanding the power I had, she, while not liked by everyone, was universally respected. But now, I knew how that felt, to be regarded like a monster, that I and the demon were one and the same.

I nearly thought of looking away from their cold, fearful stares, but something inside me told them that I had no right to be ashamed. I had every right to play with and talk with my child just like everyone else. What gave them the right to dictate my life? What gave them permission to restrict where I could be, and what I could do?

Nothing, that's what.

So I smiled, lifted my left hand, and waved at them.

They universally stared at me with wide eyes, stunned I would do such a gesture.

The spirited girl inside of me, the "Red-Hot Habanero" that had caused so much chaos at the Ninja Academy, a girl suppressed for so long for so many years, felt like she was alive again. Just for that one single moment, true, but that filled me with a warmth and energy I hadn't felt since Minato was still alive.

I turned my attention back to Naruto and ignored them from that point on. If they were just going to gawk at me like I'm a perverse statue, that was their right. Let them waste their time staring at me, those were seconds, minutes they were never going to get back. I wasn't going to interfere with their lives if they weren't going to interfere with mine.

I was not going to let them beat me.

And, most of all, I wasn't going to let them beat my son either.

I'd sooner go to hell than let that happen.

* * *

I wonder if how that's how Fuu feels. "Jinchuuriki loneliness" is something common to nearly all jinchuuriki from what I understand. They are confused as human skin for the monsters inside of them frequently, unwelcome to the populace that the jinchuuriki are supposed to protect. It had never applied to me before I returned to Konoha, and, if I had just maintained my control, if I had not let the Nine-Tails take me over, it still would not apply. I have no one to blame but myself for my isolation inside my own community.

I am going to need to fix this somehow. Even after my return, I've run away from the victims that I hurt twelve years ago. Would it help, at all, to try to communicate with them? Or is it too late to try to make amends with them? Sakura's parents, for example. Would they accept any tokens of kindness from me, despite what I had done to them?

That's something I'm going to need to think about when I return home. It's not my intention, but I've treated the people I wounded like they don't exist. How is that going to help anything or anyone? It's like I'm taunting them just with my presence, isn't it?

Voices from up ahead jar me back to reality. "We're coming up on the village. Slow down, and voices down."

That was 'Yamato'. I slow my pace down until I catch up where the others are crouching. Finally, almost three days of traveling, with nightfall fast approaching, and we're at our destination.

Taki is right in front of us.

Or so I think. All I see is a gigantic waterfall in front of us.

Shibuki is exhausted. Even after the energy-conserving tree-running we've been doing since we arrived in the forest surrounding his village, he's gasping for air. He's doing his best to keep his breathing as quiet as possible, but he's clearly out of energy. I don't think we can count on him if things turn violent in short order.

"All right," he finally gasps out. "Aunt Mika instructed me to lead you here. A fellow dissident is going to meet us here and brief us on the situation. I don't know when, and I don't know how-"

"I'm here." A male voice. He emerges from Shibuki's left, from behind bushes, and walks over to us.

"Riichiro," Shibuki says softly.

Riichiro looks like a man about my age, with short, close-cropped brown hair and a thin scar on his clean-shaven chin. He has a handsome, friendly appearance, almost like an older Shibuki in way minus Shibuki's clear naivete.

'Yamato' adapts quickly. He immediately looks at Riichiro. "My name is Yamato. I am the leader of this group of Konoha jonin. We're here to extract Fuu from the village and bring her to safety."

Riichiro nods. "I know. Thank you for coming, Yamato. It looks like all of you have battle experience. This may become necessary unless we grab Fuu _now_."

Oh no. This sounds like the situation is taking a rapid turn for the worse. Kakashi's intuition is right after all.

The Nine-Tails chuckles again. I know that laugh anywhere. It's taunting me. Taunting me to trust that I can rely on its chakra. I am sure that drawing on the Nine-Tails' chakra is going to be strenuous, and _when _I get it, the Nine-Tails will give me either too little or, even worse, too much. Too much could easily accelerate me into a form where the Nine-Tails can influence me again, and that will only cause disaster. Too little just makes a battle more difficult than it has to be. I'd prefer "more difficult" over "disaster".

"What do you mean? What has changed?" 'Yamato' asks.

"One of my scouts just reported in to me exactly an hour ago. We have four suspicious and dangerous-looking individuals heading our way, they were two, maybe three hours out when they were spotted."

"Since it's been an hour since your scouts reported, we can assume we have an hour left, maybe more if we're lucky, to extract Fuu and get out of Taki," 'Yamato' says.

Kakashi sighs from next to me. He is absolutely thrilled, too.

"That would not be a bad estimate," Riichiro says. He looks towards the gigantic waterfall. "The only way inside the village takes us directly to the village's center, and Fuu's cabin is out in the open, exposed. The guards outside the cabin are _not_ on our side. They are going to need to be neutralized before we can rescue Fuu, _without _them sounding the alarm."

This sounds better and better. Not. "I assume the village is on lockdown, then, Riichiro," I say.

"That's an accurate assessment, uh . . ." Riichiro pauses.

"Kushina Uzumaki," I reply.

"Yes, thank you. Suien put the village on lockdown yesterday night. No one's been allowed outside the village's waterfall. I've been hiding here ever since then. Suien wants everything perfect for Fuu's removal."

"Why doesn't Fuu just fight back?" Mikoto asks. "That's what I would do. Fight them. Taki doesn't have many jonin-level ninja, correct?"

"You are correct. There are only three. Shibuki's aunt Mika, myself, and a woman named Katsura," Riichiro replies. "However, Suien seems to have assembled an army of mercenaries from Ame. They're out in force tonight. Suien does have people loyal to him in Taki, but the Ame mercenaries are doing the majority of the work, including guarding Fuu."

"That doesn't answer my question of why Fuu doesn't fight them and try to escape," Mikoto replies curtly.

Riichiro sighs. "Many people in Taki despise Fuu, but Fuu is loyal to Taki and won't abandon it unless she has to. We haven't been able to talk to her since they put her on lockdown. We can't tell her that her very life is at risk."

"Well then, we're just wasting time chatting," 'Yamato' says. He surprisingly turns and looks at _me_. "Kushina, you and Kisuke are with me. We're going to be the main infiltration unit. Kakashi, you, Yugao, and Mikoto move as you like. Neutralize any targets of opportunity swiftly and silently. Taijutsu _only _unless your genjutsu and ninjutsu is quiet enough to not give our presence away."

"I have a suggestion," Kakashi says cheerfully, "I can use genjutsu to drive many of the guards insane and make them attack each other. That could cause a large enough distraction for you three to extract Fuu easily."

Sounds lovely, Kakashi. And noisy.

'Yamato' just gives Kakashi a _look_. "You sure that won't tip Suien off that we're here?"

"I think time is of the essence," Kakashi replies. "We know they have reinforcements coming. We need to be gone _before _they get here. We don't have time for a prolonged stealth operation."

'Yamato' just sighs. "Fine. I understand."

Shibuki speaks up. "I can be your guide to the cabin. I know our village really well and find the path of least resistance for you guys. Also . . . Fuu trusts me. I'm one of the few people she _does _trust. She'll listen to me if I tell her she needs to get out of the village."

"You _are _right about that," Riichiro says. "Do you mind, Yamato?"

"No, I don't. Just as long as he doesn't give away our position," 'Yamato' replies.

Riichiro just chuckles. "It's going to be difficult to manage that considering we're going to be surfacing in the middle of the town, right in front of the giant tree that houses the Hero's Water. That's the other intangible that we have to worry about. Suien will be a lot more dangerous if he has the Hero's Water in his possession."

Mikoto puts her palm to her face, and I can't really blame her for being dismayed. This is becoming an exceptionally complicated situation.

"What is the 'Hero's Water'?" 'Yamato' asks, ever the diplomat.

Shibuki sighs. "It's water the great tree of the village produces every one hundred years. You see, because we lack elite-level ninja, in order to stand a fighting chance, our best fighters have had to ingest the Hero's Water. It increases our chakra by a _lot_, tenfold, twentyfold, depending on how much you drink."

"Sounds potent," 'Yamato' says.

"Yes, including in the price you pay. You lose a portion of your lifespan by the amount of times your chakra increases. So if your chakra goes up tenfold, you're effectively losing ten years off your lifespan," Shibuki says. "I lost both of my parents as a child because they drank too much of the Hero's Water when they were my age."

Somehow, this doesn't faze 'Yamato' at all, or, well, virtually everyone but Mikoto and I. I can't imagine shortening my life just for a short-term power increase. Especially now. I have too many people needing me for me to throw years of my life away. Even with my clan's legendary vitality, I still can't bring myself to even imagine drinking this "Hero's Water". It just seems unnecessarily cruel.

And also is telling. The reason why Taki doesn't have many high-level ninja is because the best ninja they can get all drink the water and die in middle age! Why can't they see that the price they pay for the power is ultimately not worth it?

"All right. I don't think any of _us _will find the Hero's Water necessary, but perhaps Suien will," 'Yamato' says. "If he has it in his possession, anyway."

"Suien is not a young man," Riichiro says. "But he may get desperate and decide to drink it. He will become much more dangerous if he does."

"So we're assuming he has it," 'Yamato' says.

"For the sake of caution, yes," Riichiro says. He signals to us. "Now come. We'll all proceed through the entrance together, then fan out once we get inside . . . and if we're not attacked on the spot."

"All right. Everyone, follow Riichiro and Shibuki," 'Yamato' says, and then we begin running after the two Taki shinobi as they charge towards the waterfall.

* * *

The waterfall disguises a cave, but the cave leads to a dead end, filled with nothing but giant water pools at the very end. It doesn't take a genius to know that Taki's entrance lies through these pools. That means we're all going to need to dive through these pools and swim until we reach the interior of the village.

I'm not looking forward to holding my breath. Judging by the look on Mikoto's face, she's not happy about it either. She is not a strong swimmer, though she's worked on it over the last four years.

Riichiro and Shibuki each stand at two different pools. Shibuki signals to 'Yamato'. "All right. The people with me over here. This is the pool that gets the closest to Fuu's cabin."

"I hate swimming," Kisuke grumbles as he walks past me towards the pool.

Riichiro starts giving his instructions to Kakashi, Yugao, and Mikoto, while Shibuki just kinda _stares_ at us for a moment, and gives us a nervous smile. "I will admit that I'm not the most experienced fighter, but I _am_ a chuunin. I _did _pass a Chuunin Exam."

"We've _all _passed the Chuunin Exams," 'Yamato says. "Now please, is there anything we should know before we begin?"

Shibuki takes a deep breath and exhales. "Um, well . . . we actually have less time than you think. You see, the only way in is also the only way _out_. Unless you take the emergency exit inside the great tree, or are strong enough to blow a hole through the cavern walls around the village . . . or can fly."

"So even if we get Fuu out we might have company waiting for us right here," Kisuke says. "I _knew _I should've listened to my wife about this one. She said it was bad news."

Shibuki looks down. "Sorry. Let's just move before it's too late."

"We're right behind you," 'Yamato says.

Shibuki looks back up and nods solemnly. "All right. You're going to need to hold your breath for about one minute. Just follow me and you'll make it easily."

He makes holding your breath for one minute sound like a stroll through a park. I try to take some deep breaths, and exhale carefully. I try to generate chakra through my lungs, so I can hold onto air longer. It's not technically a ninjutsu, but I should be able to have enough air reserves for such a trip easily.

"All right," Shibuki says. "Now."

He dives into the water, and 'Yamato' and 'Kisuke' are right behind him. I turn and look at Kakashi and Mikoto for one last time, but they're too absorbed in what Riichiro is telling them to pay any attention to me.

It's all right. It's not like this will be the last time I see them again, right?

I dive in, and force myself to ignore my body's natural urge to close my eyes. The water is clear and clean, and I can see 'Yamato' and Kisuke swimming directly in front of me. I breaststroke my way through the tunnel, there's just enough light for me to see where I'm going and keep up with my allies. There's multiple passages and corners here, and if I don't follow Shibuki's exact course, I can get easily lost. And I'm sure many of these tunnels lead to dead ends, and that of course means _drowning_.

I just need to follow my teammates, who are following Shibuki. Shibuki knows these tunnels well. He has to. He _lives _here.

Just when I start to question that my teammates are going the right way, the cave ends and suddenly we're in the middle of an open pond, and things get a little brighter. All right. Almost there. Relief floods my body, even though I haven't surfaced yet. At least _this _way I know I'll make it.

I make sure to surface right next to everyone else, and force myself to take soft, quiet breaths once I resurface. It is _definitely _starting to get dark here. We should be able to grab Fuu easily.

But . . . how do we get out? It's going to be _really _dark on the return trip. I won't be able to see where I'm going when I'm underwater. Unless Shibuki has another plan in mind? Like that emergency exit?

"All right. Be very slow. Follow me," Shibuki says. As we follow him out of the water, he's visibly shaking, and not because the water is cold. He's nervous, no, not even that. He's _terrified_. I don't think he's ever done anything as dangerous as this before.

We make it to the edge of a house, and Shibuki takes a deep breath and he lets out a trembling exhale. "Okay. Okay. Good so far. It's not very far away from here."

"Just lead us there. We'll take care of the rest," 'Yamato' says, his voice even and calm.

"Okay. Okay." I think Shibuki is saying "okay" almost like a chant, like the word would magically grant him courage, more than acknowledging 'Yamato'.

Shibuki suddenly rounds the corner, and 'Yamato' and Kisuke react right away, following him. I follow him too, as Shibuki immediately gets off the streets. It looks like what he's trying to do is cut through the backyards and side paths to get to Fuu. We're hardly even leaving the water's edge this way.

As we stop and rest, I hear a man's voice. "What the hell is going on at the southern end?"

I hear something. Sounds like a fight. I turn around, and I don't see anything, not until I see a vortex of water briefly rise up and then fall to earth in a colossal, misshapen _splash_.

I guess Kakashi got to work right away with his genjutsu.

"Looks like a couple of our dumbasses got themselves drunk again," a different man says with a sigh. He sounds younger, but more worldly than the other man, somehow.

"Lord Suien is getting pissed off over the drunkenness. I'm sure heads are gonna roll _this _time," the other, older-sounding, man says.

"If Lord Suien doesn't make heads roll, his 'honored guests' will," the young man says. "These 'Akatsuki' people, just from what I've been hearing, give me the creeps."

"They scare the daylights out of me. Thank God I don't have to stand guard at Fuu's cabin. I can just pretend they don't exist this way," the older man says. Their voices are getting quieter, and their footsteps suggest they're walking away.

"Now. Move," Shubuki says, and we follow him yet again. I see what looks like a fishing cabin with a small wooden dock beside it, and I see two men standing there. Must be Fu's cabin.

"Okay," 'Yamato' says. "I think we're just close enough. Kisuke, you know the signal to _go_, right?"

Kisuke nods. "I do."

"Excellent." 'Yamato' quickly makes some hand signals. "Wood Style. Silent Strangle Technique."

What has to be vines or highly flexible wood, I can't tell in this near-darkness, suddenly flies out from his hands. His technique is _fast_, it's upon the nearest guard within seconds and before the guard can react, the vines wrap around him and constrict him and he falls over, softly gagging.

The other guard turns towards his partner. "What the-"

Kisuke, for his part, has run to the top of the fishing cabin and suddenly drops down behind the other guard, and swiftly and cleanly breaks the guard's neck. The other guard collapses to the ground, and Kisuke signals everyone to come over.

"Your Hokage was not kidding when he said he was sending the best," Shibuki says, clearly amazed.

"I don't think it's a good thing to gawk right now. We have to hurry," I say, and I begin running towards the door.

Kisuke, almost casually, takes the two bodies of the fallen guards and quietly slides them both into the water as Yamato, Shibuki, and I gather around the door.

Shibuki shakes his head. "The door's booby-trapped. There's a seal on it. We try to open it . . . well, let's just say that us dying is a pretty good possibility."

"That won't happen," 'Yamato' says. "I've already activated my next technique."

His hand reaches into the door, and all of a sudden, the door shifts, without disrupting the seal at all. 'Yamato' moves the hinges from one side of the door to the other, and creates a brand-new knob on the left-hand side, while the right-side knob remains completely unaffected.

"How . . . how can you do that?" Shibuki asks.

"If I told you I would have to kill you," 'Yamato' replies. I _pray _he is not being serious. At least not one-hundred-percent.

He stops. "Try the new wood doorknob. No seal to worry about now."

"Okay?" Shibuki gingerly turns the knob, as if expecting it to explode in front of his face. But it doesn't. And the rearranged hinges work as they should as well.

Just what _is _this 'Yamato'? How can he just manipulate wood like that? He has to be a blood descendant of the First Hokage! If not, then maybe this goes far deeper. Maybe the First Hokage's Wood Techniques have been passed down in secret over the centuries, hidden in the ANBU. Maybe 'Yamato' isn't the only person who can use the Wood Style for all I know.

The door swings open, and Shibuki is careful to not let the booby-trapped end of the knob touch the wall, he's not going to open the door all the way. "Fuu? Fuu, are you in here? It's Shibuki."

Silence. Then the voice of a young girl. "Shibuki! You're safe!"

I suddenly see a young girl with brown skin and turquoise hair dash out from around a corner. "Shibuki! I thought they were gonna kill you! You're okay!"

"Yes, I am," Shibuki says, and he lets the girl run into his arms.

"D-Don't scare me like that, Shibuki. I need you," the girl says, sounding like she is on the verge of tears.

"I know, Fuu. I know," Shibuki says.

"They said they would kill you if I-I tried to fight back. What happened? D-Did you escape? What did you do?" Fuu asks.

Shibuki pauses. "I was . . . outside the village the whole time. I was getting help."

"Huh? Then who . . .?"

Fuu separates from Shibuki then, turns around, and stamps her foot on the floorboards. "Damn it! I should've known they used a transformation technique on one of their goons and had him pretend to be you! I _thought _something was up! Argh!"

I sense chakra beginning to pour from this girl, and it doesn't feel human. It even makes the Nine-Tailed Fox tense up inside me. This is the chakra of the Tailed Beast inside Fuu. And it is _powerful_.

"I'm going to kick their stupid asses!" Fuu growls, but Shibuki runs up to her and grabs her.

"Fuu, wait! The village is occupied! We can't start a fight here or they _will _take hostages!" Shibuki cries.

"So what? No one but you and a few other people care about me anyway!" Fuu snaps back.

Now the girl didn't seem so innocent anymore. There was a darker edge about her, even darker than me. She didn't necessarily care about her village, not in the way I do. She only cared about a few individuals who happened to live inside it. That's what makes her care for Taki at all.

Hearing something so bitter, cynical, and outright _dark _come out of a young girl's mouth was stunning. I would've been floored if I hadn't heard equally dark language out of Sakura Haruno's mouth just a few days ago. Now . . . it's just a sign that something is wrong with this world as a whole, if we can't allow young children some measure of innocence.

"Don't say that. Everyone's life has meaning, Fuu," Shibuki says. "Please."

Fuu pauses, and then I sense the bestial chakra fading away. She has changed her mind, thankfully. Her voice is still low and cynical, but is missing the edge that she had just moments ago. "Fine. You know best, Shibuki. You always have."

"Thank you." Shibuki rubs his forehead, and readjusts his headgear, and I see he's been sweating bullets. He's clearly seen Fuu completely unleashed before, and it must be memorable to witness, and not in a good way, if he was that terrified in such a short order.

"What is it you want me to do, Shibuki?" Fuu asks.

"Okay. Fuu, listen to me. There's evil people who are coming here to capture or kill you. I brought help from another village to get you out of here. Their friends of ours, Fuu. They'll take you to their village, where you'll be safe," Shibuki says.

"Help?" Fuu suddenly leans out from around Shibuki, and stares at us with wide, curious eyes. "Who are _you _guys? Your forehead protector symbol looks kinda familiar. Where are you from again?"

Much to my astonishment, 'Yamato' turns to me and nods. I turn around and look at Kisuke, and he simply shrugs. Apparently _I'm _the one who should be talking now.

As I step forward, I wonder how much should I say. Should Fuu and Shibuki have the right to know _everything_? I just don't know. But . . . if 'Yamato' was going to take charge of interacting with Fuu, I assume he would have. 'Yamato' is expecting me to know what's best to say to make another jinchuuriki cooperate with us. "My name is Kushina Uzumaki, jonin and jinchuuriki of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, Konoha," I say.

Shibuki turns around, clearly startled. "I thought that-" He cuts himself off.

I guess that Yugao's act worked on _somebody_. I don't know whether that condemns Shibuki as incompetent, naive, _both_, or simply means Yugao is a better actress than I thought.

"That's right," I say.

Fuu's eyes widen in clear amazement. "Wow, really? I've never met another jinchuuriki! I thought I was the only one around here! My name's Fuu, Ms. Uzumaki!"

"Nice to meet you, Fuu," I say. "Please keep your voice down. We're going to need to be _really _quiet in order to get out of here."

"Oh, right, sorry." Fuu walks up to me. She's significantly shorter than I am, though that doesn't surprise me, she's just a child. She has a small midriff, I can see part of her Tailed Beast Seal. It looks a little different than mine but that definitely confirms her as a real jinchuuriki.

"So, what's your Tailed Beast? I have the Seven-Tails," Fuu says. She looks so curious now, and it's like the innocence that had been missing just a minute ago has returned in full force. It's a solemn reminder that she's just a child not much older than Naruto.

"The Nine-Tails," I say.

Fuu stamps her foot again. "Dang it! I thought I had the most tails out of everybody!"

"Voice down, Fuu," I say.

"Sorry again." Fuu seems lost in thought for a moment, and she paces around a little bit. Then something occurs to her, as her eyes widen again. "Oh yeah! What's your Tailed Beast's name?"

"Say what?" The Nine-Tailed Fox has a name? The beast actually has one?

"Yeah. All Tailed Beasts have names. Mine told me its name a couple years ago. My Tailed Beast is called Choumei. What's yours?"

I never knew that my Tailed Beast actually had a name. I thought it was just a powerful animal, a curse, a burden. I never fathomed that it would have a name to give me. I underestimated the Nine-Tails' intelligence, its personality, its very existence . . . hell, _everything _about it, in assuming it was just a creature that had no need for a name!

And then, wouldn't you know it, the Nine-Tails speaks, mirroring my condescending tone and using the exact same words I had said to it from just a few days ago. _And what does that say about _you_, hmm?_

It doesn't say much at all.

And yet, somehow, it says a lot.


	15. Fall

dracohalo117: Action. That's what's going to happen in the next chapter. XD

Riku Uzumaki: I think avoiding the Akatsuki is going to a bit more difficult than you might expect.

EDIT: I have no idea why this chapter is showing up in bold. I'm trying to fix it, but it's going to have to wait until after work is over. I apologize for the technical difficulties.

* * *

Chapter Fifteen: Fall

Should I tell the truth, or should I tell a lie and make up a name? Neither answer will make me feel better, and neither will make Fuu happy or impressed with me. Plus, the two ANBU with me would know, too. They didn't, _couldn't_, know that Tailed Beasts had names either. They're hiding their surprise, which I'm sure is there, professionally, without as much of a twitch, but I know they're shocked. They wouldn't be impressed if I told a lie either.

I've already taken so long to answer that telling a lie isn't even an option. Even a young girl would see right through me in an instant.

No. The only option is the truth.

"My Tailed Beast and I are not on good terms with each other," I say. "I do not know its name."

"Huh." Fuu frowns. "Why not?"

"Because it manipulated me into killing ten members of my village, that's why," I reply.

"_Ohh_." Fuu stares. "Okay, I can definitely see why you two don't get along."

"Thank you for understanding."

It's still not the whole truth, unfiltered and pure. The simple truth is that Konoha doesn't know that the Nine-Tailed Fox actually has a name of its own. Not even Mito, my mentor, knew that the Nine-Tailed Fox had a name. It was just a nameless, powerful demon, one that had to be sealed for humanity's protection, and used carefully to provide power when it was needed. Especially since there are multiple other beasts, most of whom are likely sealed inside jinchuurikis, as well.

But if I tell Fuu _that _much, how much respect, or trust, would she have for any of us?

I just hope Fuu doesn't keep probing me so I have to tell her the rest of my sad history with the Nine-Tailed Fox.

_Afraid she won't like what she hears?_

Shut up, beast.

'Yamato' steps in, thankfully. "All right, enough chatting. We need to get out of here, and it's gotten dark outside. Is there an alternate exit besides the middle of the lake, Shibuki? I don't know how we're going to be able to go back the way we came in total darkness."

"The great tree that produces the Hero's Water," Shibuki replies. "It's a one-way exit. It takes you to a controlled slide down the great waterfall, and it involves a long climb back up into the forest surrounding Taki."

"Sounds good to me," 'Yamato' says. "Because that's our ticket out of here. Including yours, Fuu." "I have to leave?" Fuu asks, surprised.

"This whole mission has been about you," 'Yamato' says. "We've been hired to take you to Konoha where you will be safe."

Fuu sighs. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I don't have a lot of friends here anyway. Most people hate me."

"I don't hate you," Shibuki replies. "And neither do-"

"I said _most_, not _all_, Shibuki," Fuu interrupts.

Shibuki looks down. "I'm sorry, Fuu. But there's no other way to guarantee your safety. There's odd ninja on their way to Taki to capture you, Fuu. We have to get you out of here before we run out of time."

"Didn't one of the guards have a name for them?" I ask 'Yamato'.

"The 'Akatsuki'? I don't have a lot of information on them if that is what you're asking," 'Yamato' says. "I _have _heard of them but nothing concrete. Their mission, their allegiances, even their members, they're all complete shadows to Konoha."

"I don't even know what you're talking about," Shibuki says with an uneasy grin. "Shows how much I know."

"If the 'Akatsuki' want to get me, bring it on," Fuu says. "I'm not afraid of some shadowy freaks."

"Can we not discuss this anymore?" Kisuke asks from the door. "Less talk, more action. I don't know how much time we have left before Suien's forces realize that we're here."

"I'd prefer it that way," Fuu says confidently. "I'm not afraid of Suien. I was just afraid he was gonna kill the few friends I have if I did something. Now that I know he was just having his goons use transformation techniques, I'm not afraid of fighting him. I'll make him pay for what he's done. He and his Ame goon army."

Underneath her cute exterior lies something else, something bloodthirsty. This is a girl used to fighting. Maybe even _likes_ fighting. I wish I could see that Fuu's confidence just came from bravery, but there was a bestial desire in her, too. A desire to _fight_.

"I sense that we're going to have company in the next couple of minutes if we don't move, _now_," Kisuke says.

After hearing Kisuke say that, I try to listen too. I don't hear anything for a moment, but then . . . yes. It sounds like a large force. They're not even trying to mask their presence. They're on the march, and they're confident of their own abilities.

"Sounds like a big force. I think they've figured out we're here," I say.

"Aw, crap," Shibuki mumbles.

"Don't be scared, Shibuki," Fuu says. "I'll just tear them a new one."

"We're not discussing a battle," 'Yamato' says. "We're leaving. _Now_."

"Finally, someone agrees with me," Kisuke says, and he opens the door, only to promptly close it seconds later.

"Kisuke, what are you-"

My question is answered without me finishing my sentence or receiving any kind of verbal reply. My answer is suddenly ends of shuriken, arrows, and kunai suddenly sticking out from the door.

Kisuke backs off, and breathes a sigh of relief. "Too close."

"It is," 'Yamato' says. "They're on to us."

Silence for just a second, and then I hear an aged, deep voice. "Considering that your reaction time was faster than the typical drivel that passes for ninja in Taki, I assume you're foreigners, correct?"

'Yamato' takes charge. "Yes, we are. We are from Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and not afraid to admit it."

A chuckle from the voice outside. "Mika is a smart woman. She used Taki's alliance with Konoha to her advantage. She knew there was no other way to protect our hated jinchuuriki if she didn't hire outside help. Too bad she wasn't smart enough to consider us actually getting a hand on her . . . or on her spilling the beans on every single thing she had planned including the rescue of Taki's jinchuuriki."

"Aunt Mika," Shibuki whispers, his eyes wide with horror.

"How dare they." I sense Fuu's bestial chakra rising again, and I look back at her to see her on the verge of activating her Initial Release.

"No," I say firmly. "Not yet."

Fuu's bright eyes look at me fiercely, but then she calms down and the chakra surge halts. "Fine. But this is the _last _time."

"Just wait until I say so," I reply, hoping Fuu can keep it in check.

"I assume you are Lord Suien, then?" 'Yamato' asks.

"Good deduction," the voice replies.

"I assume you have terms of some kind?" 'Yamato' says calmly.

"Yes, I do. Surrender yourselves and Fuu and you will not come to harm despite being foreigners interfering in Taki's affairs," Suien replies.

"What kind of guarantee would we have?" 'Yamato' asks. I know 'Yamato' is just probing, or stalling for time until Kakashi and the others get here to help, but that's not going to help Fuu become more cooperative. She doesn't trust us. Has no reason to trust us.

Suien chuckles again. "No guarantees, other than this. If you resist, I can _guarantee _no quarter. You are foreigners illegally operating in Taki territory. You will be dealt with."

"We'd have a chance if we could just get out of this confined space," Kisuke says. "Your Planet Splitter Technique would be enough, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, it would," 'Yamato' replies.

Fuu sighs. "No. I've got a better idea. Let me do this before you fire your Planet Split-y whatever."

Fuu claps her hands and begins making hand signs. The pattern doesn't look like a water technique or anything familiar to me. I wonder what she could be firing.

I can sense Fuu's chakra concentrating inside of her. It takes me a moment to realize that Fuu is preparing a breath weapon, not unlike the Fireball Technique or my Air Bullets. Fuu is _not _relying on the chakra of her Tailed Beast for this, she is already starting to sound tired as she concentrates her focus. "I'm going to firing blind here. But I don't need accuracy for this one. Just the moonlight."

'Yamato' nods. "All right. Kisuke, you and I take the front and scatter them. Kushina, you worry about getting Fuu and Shibuki to the alternate exit, and set off for Konoha. Don't waste your time fighting these people unless you have no choice."

I want to stay and fight, but at the same time, _someone_ has to protect Fuu. Shibuki isn't going to be enough to protect Fuu. Hell, I get the impression that _Fuu _would be doing most of the protecting here if I let the two of them go off on their own. And that helps nobody.

"All right. I'm ready," I say.

Fuu nods and then looks straight ahead, towards the door. "Open the door!"

Kisuke reaches and pulls it open, and I get a glimpse of the small army waiting for us in the darkness before Fuu steps forward.

"Secret Tradition! Scale Sneak Technique!"

Suddenly, I see a fog of luminescent particles fly out of Fuu's mouth, and the light is so bright that I have to shield my eyes. _This _is Fuu's plan, blinding the enemy in front of us so we have a chance to fight our way through. Judging by the screaming, the bright light is causing quite a bit of pain to go with the alarm.

"All right, we move! _Now_!" 'Yamato' barks, and suddenly he and Kisuke charge through the door and run outside. Fuu stops concentrating on her technique and falls to her knees, panting heavily.

After a moment, it feels like the entire planet is shaking under my feet. Earthquake. Has to be that 'Planet Splitter Technique' that Kisuke mentioned.

"Are you all right?" Shibuki asks Fuu, but Fuu manages to stand back up under her own power.

"That was the largest Scale Sneak Technique I've ever fired," Fuu pants. "I'm only a genin, Shibuki. I ain't some limitless-chakra jonin."

"Enough talking," I say. "Your powder or whatever you fired isn't going to work forever. Let's go."

"Out the dock," Fuu says. She runs out the door, and I follow her, Shibuki trailing close behind.

It's total chaos from the outside. 'Yamato' has managed to scatter most of the ninja under Suien's command, and I don't see anyone who looks like a commanding figure. Kisuke and 'Yamato' are each fighting four or five opponents at a time, they're way too busy to help us out.

Three of the enemy shinobi turn to look at us as Fuu and Shibuki head for the dock, but I'm ready for it, and make my hand signs to focus on my wind nature.

"Wind Style! Air Bullets Technique!"

I give two wind bullets to each of the three ninja, one knocking the wind out of each of them, and the other a finishing blow that downs them. After that, I spin around to find Fuu and Shibuki at the edge of the dock.

"What's the plan?" I shout.

"Stand back!" Fuu shouts, and she lets out a pained cry as she channels more chakra. But it isn't Fuu's own chakra. This one is more primal, fierce.

All of a sudden _wings_, real, actual _wings_ sprout from Fuu. They're gigantic. No, not just that. They look _functional_.

She's undergone a jinchuuriki transformation. If I were to guess, it's the equivalent of me entering my One-Tails or Two-Tails state. She is significantly more powerful, but Fuu has more control than the Tailed Beast still.

Fuu's voice is raspier, lower, than it was before. "Both of you, grab onto me. I'll fly us to the tree!"

I reach carefully towards Fuu, ready to pull my hand. The chakra around Fuu looks visible now, a thin shade of blue. My chakra _boils _when I'm drawing on a certain amount of the Nine-Tailed Fox's power, so caution is pivotal.

But Fuu's chakra doesn't work like mine, I see as I reach inside the chakra. It just feels like raw _power_. It actually makes me blanch for a second. The Nine-Tailed Fox doesn't seem to like this chakra at all. It rejects it. Wants to destroy it.

But I grab on anyway, and so does Shibuki.

Fuu lets out a fierce roar as she starts running forward and takes flight. She can't get us more than a few feet off the ground, but as I hold on, one thing Fuu has a lot of is _speed_. We have to be going as fast as a horse at full gallop.

"I can't believe she can do this!" I shout to Shibuki as we head towards the giant tree.

"I knew she could fly, but I didn't know she could carry _people_!" Shibuki replies. He looks at Fuu. "How did you get strong enough?"

"Weights," Fuu says with a pained grin. Her teeth are longer, more pointed too, much like how mine get.

But as we reach the base of the tree, Fuu's strength gives out. And so do her wings. "Dang it!" Fuu manages to shout before we start to crash.

Pain. World flipping upside-down and rightside-up and back again. My head hits something _hard_. More pain. Then dizziness, my vision a brief blur.

I sit up, and I turn around, and I see that I crashed next to a gigantic tree root. We're sitting on a field of grass right around the tree.

"Sorry," Fuu says, rubbing her head. "Got tired."

"No apologies needed," Shibuki says. "Come on. Follow me. We have to get inside the tree."

He scrambles to his feet and begins running, and I shake my head to get rid of my daze. I'm supposed to be protecting these two. I'm not doing a good job of this by being dizzy.

I get up and charge after them.

There is an upside to this.

I don't think Suien planned on Fuu being able to fly.

It's just such an incredible thing. No, not just that. _Impossible_. Humans can't fly. Not even I, a jinchuuriki, can fly.

How _could _you plan for it?

You can't. That simple.

* * *

The interior of the great tree is dry in spots and sticky and others, but by mimicking Shibuki's movements, I'm able to avoid the worst parts of the tree. Fuu is inbetween us, doing her own thing. She seems to be a quick recovery when it comes to chakra and energy, but that it surprises me. That's a trademark I have as well. Maybe all jinchuuriki are this way.

In a way, that rambunctious energy reminds me of Naruto. I wonder if Naruto would've turned out like her if I had not been in his life, or if Naruto had somehow wound up taking my place as jinchuuriki. Energetic and driven, but clearly lonely and with a darker edge from that loneliness and being ostracized. I'd like to think that my son's spirit would be enough to keep him from getting that sense of cynicism that Fuu seems to have, but I don't know. I just don't know.

"We're going to pass by where the Hero's Water is sealed," Shibuki says after a while. "Hopefully Suien doesn't have it. If it's missing, though, we have trouble on our hands."

"I'm not scared of Suien," Fuu says. "I was only scared of him because I thought he was gonna kill you. He can drink the entire stupid flask of Hero's Water for all I care. If he gets in our way, I'm going to kill him."

"_I'll _do it," I say, firmly. "That's my responsibility. That's why I am here."

Fuu turns around and gives me an odd look, and her voice is suspicious. "Oh yeah? Why should I trust someone like you? You're a jinchuuriki who doesn't even know her Tailed Beast's name!"

She says that like I'm the only one of my kind who doesn't know. Fuu said so herself that I'm the first jinchuuriki she's ever met. Why is she assuming that I'm the only one who doesn't know?

"You can trust me because I'm an S-class jonin," I say, "Who serves a close ally of Taki. And I'm just like you. I understand how you feel."

Fuu scoffs. "You guys seemed to consider selling me out just a few minutes ago, didn't ya?"

"That was stalling for time so we could come up with a plan," I say.

Fuu chuckles. She is clearly not convinced. "Sure it is, Kushina Uzumaki. Sure it is. Let me put it to you this way, lady: my own _village _is selling me out. I don't-"

"Look," Shibuki says all of a sudden.

I run over to the hole in the trunk that Shibuki is peering out of, and it looks like part of Taki is on _fire_. Something has gone dreadfully wrong, and I don't think it's Kakashi or 'Yamato' going out of control.

In the sky, I see something. It does not look natural. It looks almost like a weird sort of _dragon_. floating in the sky above. But it doesn't look like a living creature. It just looks too _weird _for it to be a living, breathing creature, too many spots are out of place on it, it looks artificial, like it's made out of clay.

"The Akatsuki?" I ask no one in particular.

"Might be them. I think our time ran out a few minutes ago," Shibuki says.

Fuu is no longer confident or angry. She sounds nervous. "Oh man, I hope none of them are in here with us."

I hear a foreign, gruff voice laugh behind us. "They don't need to be in here with us, 'cause we're gonna deliver you to them, little girl."

I turn around, and suddenly I see three Ame ninja standing in front of us.

The only woman of the group, a pretty brown-haired one with a throaty voice, backhands the muscular man. "Murasame you idiot! We could've attacked them from behind!"

"Oh right," says the gruff-voiced, silver-haired, muscular man. "Sorry, Hisame."

The third member of the group, most of his face obscured by a mask or bandages, just chuckles. "I always preferred to see the face of those I killed anyway. This works out."

Hisame, the woman, slaps her face with her palm. "Imbeciles. Both of you."

She sighs, but then chuckles. "Well, Suien always called me the smart one for a reason."

"Eh, shut up," Murasame growls.

They are _far _too relaxed. I'm going to make them pay for such a stupid mistake.

"Chakra Chains Technique!" I shout, and let the chains blast out from my body and they grab the nearest ninja, the masked one.

He gags. "What the hell?"

I take the chains and swing him right into Murasame and send them both crashing into the trunk _hard_. Hisame's eyes widen, but then she focuses. She _is _more competent than the other two, I notice.

"Water Style! Water Whip Technique!" The technique is demonstrated exactly as it sounds. A whip made of water appears in her hand and she sends it flying right at my head. She is _just _slow enough for me to be able to duck out of the way.

But as I turn around to look at Shibuki and Fuu, I realize that I've played into Hisame's hands. She _is _the smart one.

Instead of entangling _me_, Hisame's target was Fuu the entire time. Obviously her plan is to take Fuu hostage and make this whole situation a hell of a lot more complicated. I won't stand for that.

I reach out my right arm and let the Water Whip lash around it. It hurts, hurts a _lot_, and it feels highly constricting, like I'm going to lose all blood flow in my right hand. I just grit my teeth.

Hisame laughs. "How noble of you! But this just means you're captured instead!"

She's right, in a way. But I won't be captured for long.

I reach into my left holster and throw a shuriken at her and that makes her have to step out of the way, but as she does so, I see Fuu charging at top speed.

"Taki Style! Water Slicing Blade!" Fuu calls out, and a blade of solid water emanates into her hand.

Hisame's eyes widen so much I'm shocked her eyes don't pop out of their sockets. "Damn it!" she shrieks, and she desperately yanks on the whip, trying to get me to budge, but I refuse to move. Hisame's big mistake was assuming she's stronger than me.

She is far, far weaker. I don't let her budge an inch.

Just as Fuu is about to ram her blade right through Hisame's gut, Hisame disengages the whip, letting it limply splash onto the ground, and she flips backward to dodge Fuu.

She puts herself into a fighting stance. "Little help here, you stupid pieces of manmeat!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," I hear Murasame growl. "Come on, Kirisame, get up. Don't be a sissy."

"No one puts me in pain but Hisame!" Kirisame shouts, and I spin around to see him making the hand signs to activate his own Water Whip.

I reach into one of the pockets in my flak vest and yank out a trio of cords. Just as Kirisame calls out his technique, I throw them right at Kirisame. This is a big risk, especially in here, but I'm counting on the distraction.

The cords attach to Kirisame. "What the hell?"

I let my chakra fill my lungs, and make it _hot_. This type of chakra feels more natural to me, even after all of these years of practicing wind-nature chakra. Being born with it, and having a Tailed Beast with this type of chakra nature too doesn't help, I'm sure.

"Fire Style! Dragon Flame Technique!"

I spew fire onto the cords and send them right at Kirisame. Kirisame, for his part, just screams.

Murasame lets out a battle cry, and I feel the cords go slack all of a sudden. Murasame has slashed my cords with his own Water Whip, and his whip is different from the others. There's something of physical substance behind it, and it is _sharp_.

It also causes my Dragon Flame to fizzle out, but he is way out of position. I can still injure him.

I change my approach. Different chakra nature. Different hand signs. "Wind Style! Wind Slash Technique!"

I yank out a pair of kunai at the end of my chakra channeling, and use the kunai as a guide to launch a pair of wind slashes right at Murasame. The big guy is hit _hard _and he cries out as he's slammed into the trunk and he falls to the ground.

Kirisame, for his part, backs up. He's scared of me. Not that I blame him, considering I had almost _set him on fire_. "What the hell are you?"

That's when I see Shibuki. He looks absolutely terrified, but he's managed to creep up behind Kirisame . . . and Shibuki is holding his own Water Slicing Blade.

Kirisame senses it too late. He turns around just in time to see Shibuki slamming the blade downward like a club and I can hear the _smack_ reverberate throughout the tree. It's so hard, so vicious, that it makes _me _wince at the sight and sound of the blow. Kirisame lets out a dazed noise and crumples to the ground on his back, resting next to Murasame's body.

Shibuki is shaking like he's in subzero temperatures, and he lets out a shaky deep exhale. "I c-can't believe I just did that."

"Are you all right?" I ask.

"Y-Yeah. I am. I can't believe you actually tried a Fire Technique inside _here_, though. Are you crazy?" Shibuki says.

"You would've put it out before it got too bad," I reply. I turn toward Fuu, who is having a rather acrobatic battle with Hisame a few yards away, Hisame using her whip to keep Fuu from getting too close with that Water Slicing Blade.

"Come on, Fuu needs some help!" I don't have any blades of my own, but I still have the kunai in my hands. That'll have to do.

I have some spare cord on me in one of the pockets on the left-hand side of my flak vest. If I have to, I can set Hisame on fire and that'll end the battle, and Fuu or Shibuki can just use a water technique to put the fire out. I'm not crazy enough to just shoot fireballs, though. That _is_too reckless, especially in a tree of as much value as this one. The only fire technique I'm going to use in this space is the Dragon Flame, which relies on the pinpoint accuracy of the cords.

As I come close, though, a second figure intervenes, holding a Water Slicing Blade of his own, blocking a strike by Fuu. He readies himself, and Fuu cautiously backs up to my position, and I get a good look at him.

And I see a bitter-looking man with long hair and a bandanna around his forehead, likely in his mid-fifties. "Lord Suien," Hisame gasps out in exhaustion.

Suien looks at Hisame, and I recognize that deep, aged voice from inside the cabin. "You haven't restrained Fuu yet?"

"She has . . . a Konoha kunoichi protecting her. She beat Murasame and Kirisame!" Hisame wheezes.

"That's right," I say. "I am from Konoha. I am Kushina Uzumaki, and Fuu is under _my _protection. None of you will touch her, Akatsuki or otherwise."

Suien chuckles. "You'll be surprised at the elaborate precautions to ensure that will still happen, Uzumaki. No matter how strong you are."

I can hear Shibuki panting behind me. He's too scared to be of much use in this battle.

"Shibuki!" I shout. "Get Fuu to the exit! I can handle these two! I'll catch up!"

"Right! Fuu, come on!" Shibuki shouts.

I don't have time to pay any further attention to what Shibuki and Fuu are doing. Hisame is launching another Water Whip at me, and I step out of the way of it at the last second. This time, her whip doesn't have an alternate target in mind, and just slaps the wooden interior.

"Go, Lord Suien!" Hisame shouts.

I have no intention of letting Suien chase after Shibuki and Fuu. I turn towards him and throw the two kunai in my hands at him, but Suien is able to deflect one of them without even turning his head at me. One of them looks like it hits or scrapes him, but it doesn't slow him down or get any acknowledgement other than a grunt.

And that's when I realize that just because Hisame misses doesn't mean her whip just deactivates.

I turn around just in time to see the whip coming, and it wraps itself around me.

It's tight. Incredibly tight. Can't breathe. Can't breathe.

Reminds me of four years ago, when I had the wind knocked out of me. Except worse.

Can't breathe. Can't move.

And I can just hear Hisame's throaty voice _laugh _in exhilarated joy. "Yes! I can't believe it! I got you! Now you can just die!"

Wait. Wait. There's a way out of this. It _has _to work. It has to!

I don't need any hand signs for this. Just focus the chakra. Focus the chakra.

"How much longer do you think you can last, huh? How about I make it _tighter_?" Hisame shouts.

Focus the chakra. Ignore the pain. Ignore that you can't breathe. Focus. _Focus_.

There!

"Chakra Chains Technique!" I am barely able to wheeze out, and the chains come blasting out of my body and completely annihilate the whip in an instant.

Hisame stares.

I send the chains flying in her direction and they slam into her and she plows into the trunk so hard she doesn't just leave a dent, she goes right through it. She'll be lucky to get off with just a concussion and broken bones from that one.

I disengage the chains and force myself to catch my breath. I don't have time to finish any of these minions off or to make sure they can't escape. I hardly have enough time to get my breathing under control. I have to catch up to Fuu and Shibuki.

And . . . how do I do that again? I just realized I sent them off in this maze of a tree that I have no idea how to navigate.

Crap.

No, don't panic. Don't panic.

Shake off the pain.

Calm your breathing. Just listen.

There's nothing else going on. Calm down and listen.

_Listen_.

There. Up ahead a ways. Fighting and shouting.

And the distant roar of a waterfall.

I don't have a lot of time. Move it! Move!

I take off at a sprint, charging towards the distant noises.

* * *

I make it just in time to see Suien, Shibuki and Fuu at what has to be the exit.

I left the tree just a minute ago, and have been wandering through a cavern since then. It's been light enough for me to see where I'm going, and it was surprisingly straight forward.

And now, here we are. Right at the edge of the giant waterfall where Taki is based from.

I'm out of breath, but I force chakra throughout my body, forcing my body to get stronger and to relieve any tension or fatigue I feel. Suien shouldn't take too long, especially when it's three on one, but Shibuki's a chuunin and Fuu flat-out admitted she's officially a genin. Suien has to be jonin-level. I can't underestimate Suien's abilities or assume Fuu and Shibuki can fight him for long.

I need to end this as quickly as possible. Even though it means killing Suien, I don't have much of a choice. The Akatsuki are already here, and who knows what they're doing inside Taki, or if anyone who came with me is even still alive.

I have to end Suien in one blow and then concentrate on getting Fuu and Shibuki out of Taki's territory as soon as possible.

I take one final deep breath.

And then I send chakra pouring into my right hand.

Focus. Make a sphere.

A sphere of pure power.

You don't need to use your left hand anymore to mold it. You've practiced it even more since the first time you fired it. It's as close as it's going to get to being perfect without Minato's guidance.

No lumps. No instability. Just a sphere of power in my right hand.

I wish, I wish so fervently that I could do this to its full potential, Minato. I _know _something is missing. I just can't figure out _what_.

That's when they finally notice me. First Shibuki, then Fuu, then Suien all turn to face me.

"Shibuki! Fuu! Down the slide! I'll be right there!" I shout.

"You can't be serious!" Fuu shouts, but that's when Shibuki grabs her.

"Shibuki, wha-"

That's all I get to hear as Shibuki and Fuu both vanish from sight, and I can hear Fuu cry out briefly before the roar of the waterfall drowns her out.

Suien readies his Water Slicing Blade and points it at me. "You are tenacious, Kushina Uzumaki. And I don't know what that glowing ball is that you're holding, but I'm not stupid. I know your strategy. You're gambling. You're going to end this in one blow."

Suien reaches into his pocket, and then I see the flask in his left hand.

"The Hero's Water?" I ask.

"You're correct, it is," Suien says.

I think I have one shuriken left in my left holster. I think I'm going to need to use it.

Wait. Wait for the moment that flask is most exposed. You need to get him right when he is most vulnerable. That is when he is about to drink it.

"Why?" I ask. "Why do this to your village? Why do this to a young girl?"

Suien just shakes his head. "I am doing what I need to do to ensure Taki's survival when the forces of this world change. This entire world is in the beginning of a dramatic shift, Kushina Uzumaki. You are part of a past that is being swept away."

"Why? The Akatsuki, whoever they are, they're spearheading this shift?" I ask.

Suien gives me a _look_. "I'm not going to waste my time talking to you. I'll philosophize when it's over your dying body!"

He's a little faster than I thought. It's a quick jerking motion. But his mistake is that the cap is still on the Hero's Water. He's going to need to bite the cap in order to get it off.

And that is his downfall.

I grab a shuriken and fire it right at Suien as he puts his lips on the cap, and right after I throw, I begin to run.

His Water Slicing Blade deflects the shuriken and sends it into the roof of the cavern, but the effort to block the shuriken puts his blade out of position. I'll be there before he can get his blade in position.

I'm too fast for him.

Just as the cap pops off of the flask, I knee him in the stomach and he's knocked backwards. Right onto the slide, and I crash on top of him, still holding my power sphere.. The Hero's Water falls to the ground, long out of reach.

"No!" he shouts, but the two of us are already riding down the slide, me being on top of him.

Don't think. Just do it. He still has that Water Slicing Blade.

Hit him. Hit him _now_!

"_Rasengan_!"

I slam the sphere right into his chest, and Suien's eyes can only widen as the sphere blasts into his vital organs.

I look away. I don't want Suien's face as he dies emblazoned onto my memory. I know the faces of nearly all the lives I've taken in my life, other than those I killed twelve years ago when I went berserk. I don't need Suien's horrified, pained, despairing expression memorized either. I can imagine what it must look like all by myself.

The force of the blast is so much that I've pushed Suien _through the slide_. Just as the slide gives away, I use my feet and flip off of Suien's body, which seems like it's being split in two from my Rasengan. I flip onto the slide and roll downwards, getting control of myself so I don't go flying off.

Suien . . . he _does _go flying off. I don't see any part of his body on the slide. I can only assume he's falling down the waterfall. If my Rasengan didn't kill him, the fall will.

After that, I just ride.

I think I've earned it.

* * *

At the bottom, Fuu and Shibuki are waiting for me. "You won?" Fuu asks.

"I won," I say.

"I thought you won," Fuu says. "I saw a body go flying off the slide almost in two pieces. It didn't look like yours."

Fuu is much too young to see violence like what I've done to Suien. I wish she had averted her gaze. "That was Suien."

Shibuki's eyes widen. "Don't you think that was overkill?"

"There is no such thing as 'overkill' when you're fighting a jonin," I reply. "It's called 'the only way to be sure'."

That was something Kakashi said to me and Minato once, years ago, when he was a young man still with the ANBU. For some reason, it rings true to me, in both its sincerity . . . and its cruel truth.

Leaving a witness or a target with the faintest chance of being left alive means that the witness or the target can someday come back and make an attempt on _your _life in some way, shape, or form. You have to make sure your enemies are dead when you are a ninja. If you don't, eventually somebody you thought was dead is suddenly going to re-appear in your life, and that somebody is the last person you're ever going to see.

Shibuki looks like he's doing to be sick after hearing that, but Fuu just smiles. "I think that's the coolest thing I've ever heard anyone say."

I need to get her mind off this conversation. "We need to get out of here, we're not safe yet. We need to head straight to Konoha, and we're not stopping until we're sure we're not being followed," I reply.

"Good idea," Shibuki says in clear relief.

I look up. Fuu shakes her head next to me. "Aw, no. You are _not_expecting me to fly up there. We're like a zillion stories down from ground level."

"I'm not. Just get on my back. I'll carry you up there," I say.

"Really?" Fuu asks, surprised.

"It'll be faster this way and you'll conserve your energy. Come on, let's go."

Fuu's weight getting on my back tells me all I need to know to be sure.

"Come on, Shibuki," I say, and I run towards a ladder and begin climbing.

Compared to that fight, this is nothing.

I double-time it. The faster, the better.

"You're fast at this," Fuu says as we get halfway up.

"My whole life has been spent climbing up a ladder," I reply.

"No wisdom stuff right now," Fuu moans. "Just don't-"

"Never tell me not to slip," I reply curtly. Not that I'm stressed out or nervous that I will. I've spent way too much time practicing and training to be worried about falling to my death because of a ladder. But I still don't like thinking about the prospect. Who does?

The moment I get up the ladder, I immediately see my hopes of a quick flight to safety are dashed. I see a man waiting for us on top, and he is wielding a scythe. He's somewhat tall, young-looking, with slicked-back silver hair.

"Well, well, well. Look at who just dropped in, Deidara," the young man says. "I don't understand why your buddy Hiruko doesn't like to wait. Look at what waiting just got us."

A man right next to the closer, silver-haired one, looks even younger, approaches. He looks even younger if that's possible. I could see teenage girls falling head over heels for him, actually. He's a blonde, with a ponytail, and his left eye is obscured behind long blonde bangs. Has to be this 'Deidara'.

"I was wondering why I couldn't see Fuu from the sky." Deidara's solely visible eye turns to look at me. "Watch it, Hidan. The Konoha kunoichi looks dangerous."

"How can you tell?" Hidan asks.

"Just by looking at her," Deidara says.

Hidan chuckles. "Never figured you for a pervert, Deidara."

Deidara just frowns. "That's not what I meant and you know it."

Fuu gets off my back and slowly edges towards my side. "Who are these people, Ms. Uzumaki?"

"They have to be the 'Akatsuki'," I reply.

I've wasted all of the shuriken and kunai in my left holster. I still have some in my right holster, but my right hand is my dominant ninjutsu hand.

And these people look much stronger than Suien and his minions. In fact . . .

My heart skips a beat. I might actually have to draw on the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra in order to beat them.

Am I ready for that?

Am I?

What's taking Shibuki so long? He needs to get up here in order to make sure Fuu can get away!

Hidan just smiles. "I like the look of the woman. I'll take her. Deidara, the little girl looks more your speed since you're a newbie. Wipe her out."

"You're almost as new as I am, dude," Deidara replies with a frown. "That's why they told us both to stay back just in case Fuu manages to get out of the village. Because neither of us have been with the Akatsuki for very long."

Fuu just chuckles.

"What's so funny?" Hidan asks.

"For evil ninja trying to capture me, you guys are dumb. You're blabbing info to your enemies, stupidheads!" Fuu laughs.

Hidan blinks. Then he frowns. "That's it! I'm going to enjoy cutting both of your tongues out!"

"Dude, the woman hasn't even spoken to us yet. What's she done to piss you off?" Deidara asks.

Hidan blinks again. Then he turns towards Deidara. "Whose side are you on, pretty boy?"

Fu just laughs again. She _lives_ for this. _Craves _this. She has no understanding of battle yet. "Let's get 'em, Ms. Uzumaki! Secret Tradition! Scaled Sneak Technique!"

She fires her luminescent powder at them, and when I see Fuu moving in to attack our two young foes, I know I have no choice. I'm going to have to plow right through them.

I reach into my flak pocket and pull out some cord. Now's a good time as any to launch my Dragon Flame Technique on them.

I charge right towards the figures obscured in the bright powder, and begin my attack.

* * *

Yes, we have a confrontation with the Akatsuki next chapter. The first big fight in the fic. Should be fun.


	16. Predator

****I answered everyone who replied through PMs. Anyway, here's another chapter to read. I'm going to speed it up a bit for a couple of weeks because my buffer has grown to 16 chapters.

Enjoy! Fight scene a-go-go!**  
**

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen: Predator**

I can't run directly into Fuu's powder. That just ensures that I'll be blinded just like the enemies I'm fighting. But I can see Hidan's figure inside the haze that Fuu's created. I'll burn Hidan alive and then worry about Deidara. Quick, easy, and simple.

But then I see it. Hidan's weapon, a veiled silhouette within the haze. It looks like a scythe. A giant scythe. With three blades.

I jump away just in time to dodge the initial swipe.

The haze is _not _affecting Hidan. He must have closed his eyes in time, and is relying on sound to track me and attack me. That's the only explanation.

He leaps out of the haze and I jump backwards again to keep my distance. Hidan looks at me and chuckles. "Oh. I guess you wouldn't know this. But I am beholden to Jashin."

Jashin. I heard of it during my travels, an entry was in one of the books I read in my cabin years ago.

"Jashin is a cult obsessed with death and murder," I say. "But . . . it's also supposed to hold a key to immortality, isn't it?"

"Right you are, woman. No matter what you do, I'm not going to die. I'll just get back up and fight some more." Hidan grins. "I'm shocked you know what Jashin even is. It's not well-known to outsiders. What? Thinking of joining us?"

"I find your beliefs sick, cruel, and depraved," I reply. "You worship murder. I'd never even consider it."

Hidan shakes his head. "Ah, too bad. Jashin doesn't have many hot women like you following it. That's the drawback about it."

"I am sure there are many other drawbacks," I reply, keeping my voice cool. But, internally, I feel an urge to rip his head off. And it might not be _me_, not completely.

I think the Nine-Tailed Fox doesn't like this guy either.

_Whatever gave you _that_ idea?_The Nine-Tails says to me.

Why do you hate him?

_Because he's after me, not just the stupid girl! I think he has something worse than this _prison _I'm stuck in if he wins. I will not be used as a tool for this bastard's purposes! It's bad enough that I'm used for yours!_

The Nine-Tailed Fox's rage boils inside me. It's like this volcano inside me trying to explode all at once, and I'm keeping it bottled inside. Then it hits me. The Nine-Tails is _giving _me its chakra. It's more than enough to skip my initial transformation and go straight to my One-Tails form.

It's not like you, Nine-Tailed Fox. Why are you so willing to give me your chakra?

_Because I don't want to be turned into a puppet for this ignorant human's plans, that's why!_

Hidan raises an eyebrow. "Huh. Your chakra . . . seems to have become interesting. I dunno. It's like I can almost see it."

He swings his triple-bladed scythe around and puts himself into a battle position. I need to come up with a plan to defeat this guy, _now_.

He claims he's immortal, which is a distinct possibility. But immortal may not mean he's _invincible_. He might still be hurt, and I doubt he can bounce back from his limbs being severed. But with that scythe of his, I can't even get close, and I'm sure he's fast enough to deflect my shuriken and my kunai.

I have to beat him. I have a son waiting for me in Konoha, and a young girl who is relying on me to beat this man. I don't know what I can do, but I _have _to do it.

Explosions from the forest in the right. Loud, almost deafening, they're close by. It sounds like Deidara and Fuu have taken their fight off the trail and into the woods. And whatever Deidara can do, it seems to involve a _lot _of explosions.

Hidan just sighs. "Deidara and his explosions. How the hell can I have the mood for an epic deathmatch when he's blowing crap up?"

More. More of the beast's chakra. It's like the Nine-Tails is shoving it into my heart! It _really _wants me to take it and use it! The beast is making it difficult for me just to breathe!

I'm sweating. It's like the air has begun to boil around me. I take deeper and deeper breaths, trying to keep the chakra from overwhelming me. At the rate the beast is force-feeding me its chakra, I won't just go to One-Tails, I'll go _Two-Tails_.

I don't know how much longer I'll be able to suppress the transformation. But I have to. I am not a slave to this beast's will! I will never let myself reach that point. If I let the Nine-Tailed Fox win now, it'll know it can win whenever it wants to! I won't let that be the case!

_Damn it, you stupid human. Take it! Take it and obliterate him! What kind of idiot are you?_

Please. Just give me the chance to win without your chakra.

_Begging now_?

Bargaining, you stupid beast. If you go through with this, I will make sure the seal is reinforced so tight that you can never do this again.

_The difference between bargaining and begging is paltry._

Will you just shut up?

My heart is slamming against my chest, and my lungs feel like they're going on fire. My _body_ is starting to want this. There's so much of the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra trying to fuse with my very _being _that I can barely stand anymore.

And Hidan notices. He chuckles at he looks at me. "And what the hell is up with _you _all of a sudden? That time of the month, or maybe you just have the hots for me?"

He raises his scythe.

Then the Nine-Tailed Fox speaks again. _Do I have to spell this out for you? He will have to hold back if he knows who you are. He'll be forced to take you alive just like he has to take the girl alive. This will give us the advantage!_

If you weren't busy force-feeding your chakra down my throat, maybe I would've realized that and not kept resisting, beast!

_Focus on your opponent, you imbecile!_

The Nine-Tailed Fox's warning makes me look up at Hidan, and he smiles. "Oh well, don't care. Gotta kill you now. Jashin will be happy at least."

I can't hold it back any longer. The fire inside me is going out of control!

I have no choice. I have to embrace it. Embrace it all. It's the only chance I have to avoid a total catastrophe like what happened twelve years ago.

Everything becomes pain. So much pain. Pain, anger, and . . . and . . .

_Power_.

* * *

_I feel so strong. _

_Incredibly strong. _

_Oh, this feels good. _

_The best I've felt in a long time. So much power. _

_All right, all right. Don't start reveling in it. There's someone you have to use the power _on_, remember? _

_My target. My enemy. _

_My prey._

_Where is he? I don't see him anymore._

_Where did my prey go? _

_I see him. My chakra literally just blasted him away as he was attacking me. He's been thrown yards down the road, bouncing off the ground and somersaulting until he finally comes to a rest. _

_It can't have been _that_ easy._

_Ah, see? He's already struggling to get up. That wasn't enough to kill him. _

_That would have been almost disappointing. A mighty, holier-than-thou 'Akatsuki' getting killed just by my raw chakra rushing out of me? That would be more pathetic than words could ever describe. _

_If they went down _that_ easy, there wouldn't be an Akatsuki around to try to take Fuu away. _

_My prey is struggling upright, using his scythe for support as he struggles upward. "What the hell was that?" _

_He has no idea. What a stupid man. "Prey" is almost too generous of a term for him. _

_His eyes widen as he stares at me. "Damn it, _you're_ a jinchuuriki too?"_

_I don't want to waste my time talking to him. He's become nothing more than a helpless, panicking man. He may think he's immortal, but he's about to find out how sorely wrong he is. _

_But still . . . what good is killing someone without having a little fun? That's what he was doing with me, after all. _

_"Yes, I am," I say. My voice is low, deep, husky. Beautiful and intimidating and most importantly, throbbing with _power_. _

_With a frustrated yell, my prey slams the blunt end of his scythe into the ground. "Come on! I have to take _you_ alive all of a sudden? This has to be some kind of joke!" _

_"The only joke here is your lack of skill," I reply. _

_That lights up his eyes. He has no idea how he's playing into my hands. None at all. _

_"Shut up! You haven't seen the beginning of what I can do yet!" he yells at me. Surprisingly, there's no fear in his voice. He seriously thinks he can defeat me. _

_I was wrong. There _is_ another joke here. It's this man and his complete delusion that he can actually defeat me! This is nothing short of hilarious! He's almost not even worth playing with anymore. _

_I should just kill him and then go finish off the other idiot he's with. I'm not afraid of a few explosions. Not in this state. _

_He readies himself again. "Jashin, forgive me. I will not give you the death you desire," he says softly, but his voice carries just enough for me to hear it. _

_Praying towards his laughable facsimile of a god? Over what? The fact that he isn't allowed to kill me? Only a true idiot like him would apologize to a god over a reason like that. _

_Gods don't enjoy murder. Only devils. _

_But he can figure that out for myself once I send him to hell. But I'll give him a nice preview of what hell feels like before he gets there. He has no idea what he's up against. I am Kushina Uzumaki, the Nine-Tailed Fox. I won't be taken captive by this stupid man. _

_Naruto . . . why is Naruto . . .? _

_Why am I thinking of him? _

_He'd be horrified if he saw me like this, wouldn't he?_

_No, no. Don't think about that. The only way you're going to see Naruto again is to beat him. That's why you're thinking of Naruto. You're going to come home to him. _

_After you rip your prey's throat out. _

_I run. Full speed. He's quick, I can see him trying to get in blocking position. But he can't keep up with my movements forever. My hands are more like claws now. I don't need kunai or shuriken to cut him. _

_Clang. Clang. _

_He's trying to jump over me now. He thinks that maneuver will give him the advantage._

_What a fool. _

_Get out of my sight. _

_As if it has a mind of its own, my chakra tail just swipes him aside, sending him crashing into the large, hollow plateau that hides Taki. A blow of such force would kill any normal man, but I see him rise again. I suppose he _really_ isn't joking about how difficult he is to kill. _

_But I am sure there is a way to end him._

_I just need to find it. There is no such thing as true immortality. I doubt that this man's cult would grant him blanket protection from death. There's a weakness. _

_He's on one knee. He'll be on his feet in a few seconds. _

_Go. Go _now_._

_Faster. Faster. Don't give him the time to recover. _

_That's right. Stare at me blankly. That's all you can do before I'm on top of you, my prey. _

_I send him flying in the air with an uppercut, and then I leap after him and grab him in mid-air. _

_"What the hell?" he shouts in futility._

_Let's see if _this_ will kill him. _

_Peregrine__ Falcon Drop. One of Anko'ss favorite taijutsu. My version isn't as refined as Anko's but I think my power influx should equalize things just fine. _

_I'm just out to snap his neck. _

_Pow. _

_Right into the ground. _

_If he can get up from _that_ I might finally buy into his "immortality" talk. _

_I hear him groaning. _

_Really? _Really?

_That wasn't good enough? _

_What the hell do I have to do to kill this bastard? _

_I grab him and pulverize him into the ground three or four times before tossing him into the trees. He's thrown with so much force I see a pair of mature trees get cleaved and they fall to the ground. _

_Get after him. Don't let him recover. Beat him completely senseless. _

_I charge into the trees, to see my prey languishing on the ground, struggling to get up yet _again_, and I see my prey's young partner as well, and he stares at me in surprise. _

_"She's one of them _too_?" the younger man asks. _

_"You _just_ figured that out, Deidara?" my prey snaps back as he struggles to his feet. _

_The younger man stares at me with his only visible eye. "That means she's Kushina Uzumaki of the Leaf Village, Konoha. She is one of the oldest and more experienced jinchuuriki in the world, Hidan. Fuu is one thing, Kushina is another entirely." _

_How do they already know who I am? Do they have a spy somewhere in Konoha? _

_They'll try to find some way to catch me eventually if they know who I am. They have to know I have a son named Naruto. They'll go after him. They'll try to capture him and use him as bait to get me!_

I won't let them do that_!_

_Power. More power. Surging through me and cascading throughout the forest. I'm making plants shrivel up and fall to ash underneath my feet. _

_Naruto . . . Naruto . . . _

_None of these people will touch you. Ever. _

_The younger prey's visible eye widens. "Uh, Hidan, she just grew a second chakra tail. I think she got even stronger." _

_"I see that, pretty boy!" He brandishes his scythe again. He seriously thinks he has a chance _now_? With all this power I feel? _

_Forget it!_

_The younger prey's attention turns to his battle with Fuu, who seems to have done a jinchuuriki transformation herself, but considering how little the younger prey has been damaged, I don't think Fuu is faring so well. I need to kill my opponent and then gang up on the younger man with Fuu. That's how I have to do this. _

_I _will_ kill him. His grave is in this forest. Naruto's life, and Fuu's life, depends on it._

_My prey dares to scoff at me, and he gives me a lopsided grin as he wipes his bleeding mouth. "You have _any_ idea how sexy you sound when you growl like that?" _

_He will die in the most painful way imaginable. _

_And I have the technique to do it. _

_My most lethal taijutsu. I invented it myself. _

_I never had the guts to try it on a living target, but he's perfect for it. _

_I don't care about my reservations right now. I'm beyond that. _

_Come on, hand. Work. Work just like you would without the beast's chakra. You may have become clawed, but you can still function like a normal hand. So work that way!_

_One kunai. That's all I need with my speed. _

_"I don't care how scary your chakra is or about your stupid kunai," my prey says. "All I need is to make you bleed. Once you bleed, it's over." _

_He says that like a fact. _

_The only fact is this. _

_He's going to be in five pieces. _

_I move. My prey is right-handed, so I'm going to go after him on his left-hand side. _

_His eyes widen as my kunai comes down on his left arm, right at the elbow. _

_Slash. _

_I bend down low after severing his forearm. I feel something soft, odd, swipe across my back, but it doesn't give me a single twinge of pain. Must be his forearm falling on top of me, nothing to worry about._

_Then I charge forward behind him, the kunai switched to my left hand. I take off one leg and then the other at a kneecap in a singular, fluid motion. _

_Then I stand up. My prey is already beginning to fall to the ground. I hardly have to concentrate to slice off my prey's right forearm the same precise way I had removed his left. _

_This is my most lethal and brutal taijutsu. The Four-Corners Amputation Technique. Instantly renders a foe completely harmless by removing all four of his limbs. No hands for chakra signs, no legs for running. _

_The only thing missing is a beheading. But after losing four limbs all at once, a beheading is honestly redundant._

_My prey shrieks from the pain on the ground and writhes pathetically. I can hear more movement, and I see the younger prey again. "Hidan! What happened?" _

_Somehow, my prey can manage to yell coherent sentences despite his pain. He must be used to it, perhaps he even loves it in a masochistic way, I can't tell. "What do you think happened? She cut my arms and legs off! These ain't exactly flesh wounds ya know!" _

_The younger prey blinks. "Dude, you suck." _

_"Shut up and help me!"_

_Like I'm really going to let my prey be "helped" at all. I think it's about time I changed targets._

_The younger prey looks at me nervously as I get closer. "Oh crap." _

_That sounds about right. _

_I think a nice Rasengan in his chest ought to end this battle in a single blow. _

_No wait. Movement behind me. Someone fast. And large. _

_I turn around to see a black-cloaked man, with pupil-less green eyes and a veil-like mask covering most of his face, charging right at me, his left arm coming right for my face. _

_I see, too late, that he's using some kind of Earth technique on his arm. Like he's turned it into solid rock. _

_Pain. Pain. _

_World spinning. _

_Pain. _

_He hit me _hard_. _

_Where am I? _

_Still in the forest. _

_Forget the younger prey. The black-cloaked man will die first. _

_"Kakuzu!" the younger prey yells. _

_"Kakuzu, buddy, pal, stitch me back together! Please?" my initial prey begs. _

_"You both are goddamn idiots," the black-cloaked man they call 'Kakuzu' rumbles. He kneels over my initial prey, and I realize that he really is going to stitch him back together. _

_Like I'm going to give him the chance. _

_But that's when white figures surround me. _

_"Let's see how well _you_ take this," I hear the younger prey say. _

_Why would he . . . _

_Wait. The explosions. _

_Now these white humanoid figures surrounding me. They're . . . _

_Damn it!_

_I will _not let myself be blown up by these things_!_

_My chakra tails lash out to knock them away, but some of the figures still explode right next to me and I feel nothing but pain as I'm blasted deeper into the forest. _

_My clothing's torn, my flak vest is a wrecked mess, I have a headache, and I am getting _really_ sick of being denied my victory by these people. I was wrong to underestimate them. By themselves, they may not be very much, particularly my initial prey, but together, they are strong. And even the younger prey, as he just proved, can be plenty dangerous._

_What the hell were those figures? Looking at their remnants, it's almost like they're made of clay. Is the clay explosive by itself? I didn't see anything that looked clearly like a detonator or some kind of explosive on those figures. Has to be the clay itself. _

_Get up. Get up. And stand up. I'm not going to fight on all fours just yet. I won't allow myself to go beyond Two-Tails either. I don't need three chakra tails. I just need two. That's all I need. _

_They haven't done much more than delay me in this state. I don't think I need the extra power yet. _

_Where the hell is Fuu? Shouldn't she be helping me? Or is she still dealing with the younger prey? _

_As I approach the battlefield, I see Fuu dashing about the trees with her wings, being chased by the explosive white figures. She can't get close enough to the younger prey to finish him off. _

_As for me . . . I can see them. Both Kakuzu and my initial prey, who is getting back up like new. _

_Except for some obvious stitching where I had sliced his limbs off. _

_"Kakuzu, back off," my initial prey says. "I've won."_

_"You have?" Kakuzu asks, his voice skeptical. _

_"Yes, I have." _

_My initial prey suddenly brings the scythe right next to his mouth. "The bitch probably didn't even feel it, but I scratched her with this scythe while she was slicing my limbs off. But that's all I need. Just a taste of her blood." _

_What's he up to? He can't seriously think that licking a drop of my blood is enough to defeat me? Does he somehow hope that my blood will give him some jinchuuriki powers? _

_What a fool!_

_He licks his scythe, and swallows, and then chuckles. "Damn, jinchuuriki blood don't taste so good. But that's okay. The taste of victory don't always taste so good." _

_"I really wish you should shut up, imbecile," Kakuzu growls. _

_"Hey, hey, hey! Don't knock the guy who just bagged the Nine-Tails, Kakuzu! Two-for-one deal, whaddya think?" _

_"I think you should shut up and get on with it."_

_Come on, you stupid throat, stupid mouth. Work. It's not like you've lost the ability to talk. "What have you done?" I manage. _

_The initial prey grins wildly. "I have won, that's what!" _

_He positions himself. "Curse Technique! Ceremony of Death!" _

_A circle suddenly emanates below his feet, and his skin begins to change dramatically. _

_His skin turns the color of charcoal, except for his chin and part of his chest, which turns pale white, and resembles a skeleton. _

_I don't need to know the technique to know he's unleashed something incredibly powerful. _

_"Ah, there we go," the changed man says. "Kakuzu, be a pal and make sure none of her Leaf buddies can interfere. I'm gonna finish her off _my_ way." _

_A rumbling sigh from Kakuzu. "Do not mess this up, Hidan."_

_He vanishes. _

_But the changed man remains, and, judging from the look on his face, he considers _himself_ the predator and _me_ the prey. _

_"And now, time for round two," the changed man says, brandishing his scythe. "You ready?"_

_I am always ready in this state. _

_I charge for him again. _

_Except the changed man does something unexpected. _

_He stabs _himself_ in the right leg. _

_And then I feel a staggering pain in my own right leg. _

_I look down. My leg is suddenly _bleeding_. Badly._

_Ow. _

_Ow. _

_Dirt. My face is full of dirt. It was enough to make me fall. _

_What just . . . _

_The changed man laughs, his voice has become wild and shrill. "You like that? You really like that, Kushina Uzumaki? You can't win this!"_

_He twirls his scythe around in a fancy manner. "Every injury I give myself, you will receive in turn, Kushina Uzumaki! Except I can hurt myself in ways that you can't recover from! I'm going to make you suffer, and then I'm going to hurt you badly enough that you'll collapse on the ground and be a nice captive prisoner. Sounds fun, don't it?" _

_What do I do? How can I stop this? It's clear that he truly can't die. My Four-Corners Amputation Technique would have killed him in a short while if he had been able to die. _

_And now . . . my life is in his hands. I am at his mercy. _

_I never expected this. That he, or anyone else, could turn a battle against me in such a way._

_He has become the predator. _

_And I have turned into his prey._


	17. Prey

Author is not in a good spot right now. Author have no time to respond to what little reviews he gets. Author really needs to get off of Naruto obsession.

Author hopes that whoever reads this enjoys it and waits to see if anyone notices this fic's version of "dattebane". Author snuck it into a couple of previous chapters but now wants people to notice it.

Author ripped off this monologue off from DigitalTart. Author disappointed in himself for lack of originality.

* * *

Chapter Seventeen: Prey

_I can't allow this._

_There has to be a way to stop this. _

_I can't just stand here being helpless as this masochistic bastard who worships death and pain cuts himself up and injures me in the process!_

_Damn him. Damn him to hell!_

_He just keeps _laughing_ at me maniacally. He knows that I am clueless on how to stop him, and that just pisses me off more! "What's the matter, Kushina Uzumaki? Just gonna keep growling at me? I think you've realized you're completely helpless! How does it feel, huh? To me, it feels just like just desserts!" _

_I am going to tear him limb from limb . . . _

_No. Wait. Think, damn it. If you do that you'll just tear your own limbs off. He just proved that point by stabbing himself in the right leg and then I bled from the same spot in the exact same moment._

_Come on. Think. Think out of this haze. There _has_ to be some sort of weakness here. _

_He's switched the roles of predator and prey. But that can't last. The moment I find his technique's drawback, weakness, I will no longer be the prey. Then things will go back to how they should be. _

_I get back up. My injury, as bloody as it was, took no time to heal. _

_Stall him. He sure loves the sound of his voice. Make him keep talking. _

_"How can you stand it, Hidan? Injuring yourself like this?" I force out. _

_"How? How can I stand it?" He rears back and starts laughing again. "I don't know! Maybe I finally got used to it!" _

_He stabs himself in the left arm and I feel a great, staggering pain erupt from it. I can't help but roar in pain and then grab my left arm, only to see blood oozing through my fingers, and then boiling in my chakra. My right hand feels like it's going to peel apart from my boiling blood and I have to yank it away despite how much it hurts._

_Damn this bastard!_

_"That felt _good_, didn't it, Kushina Uzumaki?" He laughs wildly in that shrill tone. _

_I force my rage back down. I want nothing more than to shred him to pieces, but I don't know how to counter this ability of his! His "Ceremony of Death". But if I don't figure out something he's just going to do a crippling injury and then I'm going to fall!_

_I can't allow that to happen!_

_"How . . . how do you know who I am?" I ask. "You didn't recognize me until I drew upon my Tailed Beast's chakra. How much do you know about me?" _

_"You _really_ think we would start a mission to capture all of the jinchuuriki in the world without knowing their names or what villages they're from? How stupid are you? Just for that, I'm slicing open your other arm!" _

DAMN IT THIS HURTS!

_I fall back onto my hands and knees, and I resist the urge to grab my newest wound. My right hand was scalded by my literally boiling blood. Even though my right hand's scalding is almost gone thanks to my healing factor, I don't want to feel additional pain. I am not like this man. I don't enjoy being put in agonizing pain._

_He laughs again. "Oh, that one was a doozy, wasn't it? I felt every bit of that, Kushina Uzumaki!"_

_Bastard. Every time one of my injuries heals, he just creates a new one. How much longer before he inflicts multiple injuries at once? _

_No. I can't let him do that. I have to keep him talking. _

_"Are you sure _I'm_ the stupid one?" I ask. "If you're gonna go on a mission to capture all of the jinchuuriki, wouldn't you know what they look like?" _

_"You're forgetting who is in control here, bitch!"_

_Left leg this time. So much pain. So much blood oozing everywhere and then boiling onto the skin it touches. _

_Speaking of being stupid, I don't think that was my brightest moment. I have no one to be angry at but _myself_ over that last injury._

_I let my anger control me for those last words, and all that did was make him hurt me again. _

_Think. Damn it, Kushina. Think._

_I'm finally at the point of tears. I'm at a loss of what to do. All I know is pain and there's nothing I can come up with to stop him from injuring himself. _

_He licks his lips. "Judging from some of the rather _unique_ pain I'm feeling, I think your blood's boiling. You _really_ are an entertaining victim!"_

_He cocks his head to the side. "You know, I almost feel sorry for ya. You're one _sexy_ mom even when you're all beastly and growl-y like this. What are you, thirty-seven? Thirty-eight? Thirty-nine? Somethin' like that? How do you pull it off?" _

_"Mom". He said that word . . ._

_This confirms it. He knows. He knows I have a son._

_My eyes must have widened or something because he starts laughing. "Oh, you heard that, didn't ya? That's right, I know you have a snot-nosed brat! We _all_ do!"_

_He laughs wildly. "You know what our original plan to deal with you was? Capturing your kid to lure you out, and then get you in an ambush! It would have been_ _so _easy_! None of the other jinchuuriki have children besides you! I think they're onto something, don't you?" _

_Shut up. You don't know me. You don't know what I've wanted in my life. _

_You don't know how much joy my son gives me every day since I've returned into his life. _

_You don't know what it's like to be a parent with a child who loves you and depends on you. All you can think about is how to use a parent/child bond against them! _

_Despicable!_

_You're just a despicable rotten _son of a bitch_!_

_More. More power. Surging through me. Just _thinking_ of this man with my son at his mercy fills me with a primal rage that I can't stop. _

_Not that I want to stop it anymore. _

_These people will go after my son. I will not allow that! I'm going to live, and I'm going to kill every single one of these Akatsuki personally! Naruto deserves the life of peace he has had all his life in a Konoha that is not at war! I won't let these monsters take that away from him!_

_And they won't take me away from Naruto!_

_I won't let them!_

_I am the woman that the great Mito Uzumaki chose as her successor! I was _chosen_ to wield the Nine-Tailed Fox and all of its power! I won't lose to this man!_

_I'd sooner die than allow myself to be used for his games or for Naruto to get dragged into them!_

_So much pain in my body. Am I? Am I? _

_I must be. _

_I can't get up on my hind legs no matter how hard I try. _

_So much chakra. So much of it. _

_So much power. _

_I'm entering my Three-Tails transformation. _

_I've been told I still look human when I'm in this form. But I can't stand up. For some reason, I just can't stand up. This makes all of my ninjutsu and taijutsu useless. All I have is my raw chakra and . . . and . . . _

_This primal desire to kill. _

_Naruto . . . all of these images of the life you've had for the last four years with me. I see them flashing in front of me. _

_Is this it for me? _

_You are what I fight for, Naruto. You deserve the best world I can possibly give you. _

_I don't know if I'm coming home anymore, staring at this man, barely able to suppress the increasingly wild rage that threatens to rip me open from the inside. _

_But I will not be used for whatever machinations the Akatsuki have in mind for me. I'd rather die. _

_Is that the only choice I have? _

_To sacrifice myself but somehow take this immortal man with me? _

_How can I do that? _

_At least he isn't moving. He hasn't budged one inch other than in his reactions to the shared pain we've been feeling. _

_Wait. _

_Wait. _

_That's it. _

_That's the weakness. _

_He must have a limited amount of space to move while he's in this state. Maybe if I knock him far enough away from the spot he's standing on, that will end his "Ceremony of Death". _

_And then . . . I will make sure that even if he is immortal, that he will regret being so. _

_He just keeps _laughing_ at me. "A third chakra tail ain't gonna help you, lady! All it-" _

_Movement. In the trees to my left. _

_I sense it. A Tailed Beast's chakra. _

_Fuu. _

_She's charging in. _

_And the changed man sees Fuu coming too late. "What the-" I feel a massive force pound me in the stomach and it's enough to knock the wind out of me and send me on my stomach on the dry, steadily vaporizing ground underneath my feet. _

_But the changed man has it worse._

_He's been sent flying back onto the nearby trail. _

_I force myself to get back onto all fours, chakra flowing through my lungs to force me to breathe. And I see his skin._

_It's returning to normal. _

_"Damn it, what the hell . . ." Suddenly, he looks at me. _

_Now I don't feel angry. I just feel vengeance. And triumph. _

_A crazy kind of triumph that brings a wide smile to my face. _

_He has become prey again. _

_I'm going to enjoy this. _

_"Oh _shit_," he gasps. _

_I lunge for him. My chakra feels like it's going crazy. He tries to dodge me by running to the right, but I channel my boiling, gyrating chakra in my mouth. _

_I roar at him as I turn to look at him._

_A white light flashes from my mouth. _

_An inferior version of the infamous Tailed Beast Ball, without any of the energy, just the raw chakra. _

_But that's all I need. _

_I can sense my prey being slammed into by my attack, and all of a sudden I see him being launched into the air. _

_High in the air. _

_He's sent hundred of yards down the trail. His limbs, so tenuously stitched up, begin to fly off of him as he vanishes in the distance._

_He's not going to be out of sight for very long._

_I'm going to tear him apart so he'll regret being immortal. I'll reduce him to a head and bury it in the ground where no one will ever find it. And then I'll tear the throats of his friends out one by one. _

_And then . . . and then . . . _

_I'll just keep killing. _

_I'll kill everything that wants to take me away from my son. _

_Everything and everyone who dares to stop me._

_That's right! Now that I have the power again, there's no one who can stop me! They can't! They won't! I can make a-_

_"Kushina!"_

_That voice. Behind me. Familiar. _

_I turn around. _

_Mikoto. _

_Why is she . . . _

_"Kushina, stop! The battle's over! Calm down!"_

_Why should I . . . _

_Wait. In the distance. _

_That weird dragon-type thing again, I can see it blocking out the stars as it flies. _

_It must be the younger prey's, the one they call "Deidara". That's the only explanation. _

_They're getting away. _

_"Please, Kushina! We're not in any shape to chase them! Stop!" _

_Mikoto almost sounds like she is _begging_ me. Don't drag yourself down to such a pathetic level-_

_Wait. _

_She's right, isn't she? _

_She's my friend. She's trying to keep me safe. _

_And she is seeing me in this state _again_. _

_"I'm sorry, Mikoto. I'll stop. " My voice has become so deep and husky that I almost don't recognize it anymore. The power, and the beast's chakra, has changed my voice into something that isn't quite _mine_ anymore._

_This . . . this is wrong. This isn't how Mikoto should see me. Or hear me._

_I'm on the verge of making the same mistake I made twelve years ago. I have to calm down. I have to let go of the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra. _

_Return to normal. I have to become normal. Think about the love for your son, for your village, Kushina. That's what Mito told me. That love will conquer the beast. _

_I was about to let the beast's hatred conquer me instead. _

_Calm down. Calm down. _

_I feel so tired. _

_So tired . . ._

* * *

I wake from a dreamless sleep, looking right at an unfamiliar ceiling.

"Someone's returned to the world of the living," I hear Kakashi say from my left.

I look towards my left, and I see Kakashi and Mikoto both kneeling by my bed.

"I . . . I assume we won," I manage. My voice sounds worn out, it's basically been reduced to a croak. My throat is incredibly dry and sore, too. Then again I was wearing it raw with all of my growling and yelling in the battle. I shouldn't be surprised.

"We did," Kakashi says, his voice gentle but devoid of any actual joy.

That makes me nervous. "Anyone die?"

"Kisuke's badly injured, one of the Akatsuki, Hiruko, did a number on him," Kakashi says. "It's touch and go, and he's in no condition to be moved. Yamato and Yugao will be staying behind for a few days to keep him under guard while Taki's healers try to save him."

"I see. So the three of us are going to take Fuu to Konoha."

"Once you're ready, yes," Kakashi says. "She's be much safer in Konoha than here. That much has been proven."

"That dragon thing that allowed the Akatsuki to get into the village from above makes nowhere safe," I reply.

"I used the word 'safer', _not _safe," Kakashi says.

"Konoha is not Taki," Mikoto adds. "A lot more people, and a lot better defended. I wish them luck on a brazen assault on our village when four of them couldn't defeat six of us."

"They wouldn't try a frontal assault. Not unless they assembled a massive army, and Konoha has too many alliances for that to happen," Kakashi says. "I wouldn't worry about that possibility at all."

"Not unless one of our allies stabs us in the back. Suna and Kusa would be at the top of my personal list for that," Mikoto says.

"That is something for the Hokage and the Council to be concerned about," Kakashi replies.

I don't want to hear conspiracy theories right now. "I need some water," I say.

"Here," Mikoto says, landing me her flask. "Drink as much as you need. One place this village has is a _lot _of water."

Speaking of conspiracy theories, I am reminded of the ones surrounding Mikoto as I hold her flask. If she is going traitor, it would be _so_easy to kill me right now, just by poisoning the water.

No. No. I won't think it or believe it. She is my friend. She went out of her way to stop me before I went on a rampage just now. If I can't trust Mikoto, I can trust no one.

I open the flask and greedily drink down the water, so much that some of it actually trickles down the side of my mouth. I feel embarrassed, I'm usually so much neater than this, but the moment the water touches my mouth all semblance of manners just vanish. I am _really_thirsty, and I basically drink the entire flask in about twenty seconds.

"_That _dehydrated?" Kakashi asks, sounding mildly surprised.

"Yes," I say, my voice starting to resemble its normal tone now. "That dehydrated, Kakashi."

"Well," Mikoto says with a hint of awkwardness, "I have another spare flask if you-"

"Yes, Mikoto. I want it. Please."

She gives me an awkward look. "Um, okay."

I drink about half of it before I finally set it down. "I'm sorry. Thank you, Mikoto."

She smiles at me. "You're welcome."

She is almost like her old self. Beautiful, kind, understanding. A person who sincerely enjoys caring for others. The person she was before her clan was annihiliated. Before Itachi . . .

No. I won't think that either.

I just won't.

Kakashi sighs and gets up. "Well, I'm going to visit Kisuke one last time. Kushina, get ready to go. When you're ready, we're leaving."

"Understood, Kakashi. Thanks."

Kakashi leaves, and I drink the last of the flask. The water isn't cold, but my throat and mouth doesn't care. Water is water. And it seems crisp, clean, in spite of its lukewarm temperature. Taki must have exceptionally high-quality water. Not surprising at all.

Or the water just seems crisp and clean because I'm so thirsty. Likely a combination of the two.

"How do you do it, Kushina?" Mikoto asks all of a sudden. "Live with the Nine-Tailed Fox? Don't you ever wish that someone took it off of your hands?"

Why is Mikoto asking me _this _all of a sudden? "Mikoto, I don't ever wish for that to happen at all, or for Mito Uzumaki to have chosen someone else."

"When I saw you on the trail, and you looked at me with those red eyes, and with the teeth of a predatory animal . . . I almost thought that was not you," Mikoto says. "The chakra changes you, no matter how little you're using, doesn't it? Don't you ever wish that you didn't have to deal with that?"

"No. There's only three things I wish could have happened, and none of them have to deal with me being the jinchuuriki."

"And they are?" Mikoto asks.

"Number one, that Minato hadn't died twelve years ago. Number two, that I didn't attack Konoha right after Minato died twelve years ago. And number three, that I had stayed in Konoha when you asked me to stay, Mikoto. I shouldn't have run away from Konoha, from you, from my son."

"They all have to deal with you being the jinchuuriki though," Mikoto says.

It takes me a moment to understand what Mikoto is getting at. "No, they don't. They are all related to my _actions_ as jinchuuriki, not me actually _being _the jinchuuriki, Mikoto. Minato died in my arms. I should've kept control over the Nine-Tails' Chakra, I should not have let myself turn into that abomination that attacked Konoha. And . . ."

I don't want to talk about this anymore. "Mikoto, you saved my son, when I had lost track of him in my rage. If my son had been lost, especially because of me . . . I probably would have killed myself that night."

"Don't say that," Mikoto says softly.

"I would have hit rock bottom, Mikoto, I-"

"Don't say that like you know what suicide means!" Mikoto shouts.

I've never seen Mikoto so impassioned before. Tears are forming in her eyes as she berates me. "You think _you _wanted to kill yourself? You don't know what that feels like! How do you think I felt when I came home to find my entire clan dead, Kushina? Damn it, all that went through my mind was hanging myself somewhere, but . . ."

She looks down, and her hands clench into fists. "I wouldn't. I couldn't. Something inside me forced me to live, Kushina. And that something told me what to live for. To make sure Sasuke becomes an adult and rebuild our clan . . . and make sure that Itachi can never finish it off."

She gets up. "I don't want to hear you ever talking about wanting to kill yourself again. It was bad enough that you asked me to kill you twelve years ago."

"Mikoto, I never said I do. I haven't given one thought towards suicide, not since that night twelve years ago even when I was alone for all of those years. I was saying that if Naruto had died, that would have-"

"I don't care what the context is, Kushina! I don't! All you do is piss me off when you talk like this!"

She looks at me. "What happened to you, Kushina? What happened to the 'Red-Hot Habanero' whose energy and happiness I loved so much? Where's that defiance and love of life? You made everyone else around you feel alive, Kushina! What happened to her?"

I do not need to hear this right now. Mikoto wants the Red-Hot Habanero, she's going to hear her, and she's not going to like her! "Oh yeah? I can turn this right around, Mikoto! What happened to _you_? All you do is mope around all day and say cryptic things about how everything's out to get you and Sasuke! What happened to the Mikoto who was so kind, loving, gentle? I haven't seen that Mikoto in years! What happened to _her_?"

Mikoto stares at me, tears in her eyes, for just a moment. Then her arms fall slack. "This isn't worth it."

"I want my friend, Mikoto," I reply.

"Kushina, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought this up." Mikoto shakes her head and turns around. "Let's just give this a few hours before we talk again. Just to let us both cool off."

I can't just let her walk away. Not after such a fight. "Mikoto, you're my best friend. I don't want to lose you, okay? We've both lost our husbands, we've had terrible things happen to us. And we both hurt. I know we both hurt."

"I don't want to talk about being hurt," Mikoto replies bitterly. "Especially when I already know it. But I'm going to do something about it, Kushina."

"Oh yeah? What are you going to do?" I ask.

"I have been training so hard for the last four years for one purpose and one purpose alone: I'm going to find Itachi and _kill _him."

I have never heard Mikoto say that before. Ever. She's said she's hated Itachi, which is understandable. She has also said she's disowned Itachi, which is less understandable but I'm not going to argue that point with her. But I have never heard Mikoto ever express the mere _idea _of murdering her own son.

I can't even consider it. Even if Naruto somehow turned evil and did terrible things like Itachi did, I would not kill Naruto. I'd never be able to do it. I know that, deep in my heart, that I would never kill my son. I'd always, _always_, try to save him, because I love him, and that's what you do when it's your child. It may be selfish and it may be a double-standard, and it may even be foolish if your child is so completely lost he can never be brought back, but I don't care. I'd never do it. The mere thought of it brings tears to my eyes and makes my heart ache.

"Mikoto . . . why would you do that? He's your son."

"He is not my son. Not anymore. I disowned him, Kushina. He's just another evil person who committed an unforgivable crime and I will be the one who punishes him."

Mikoto . . . you say you cannot stand to hear me talk, however vaguely, about suicide. But you forget that is exactly what you're talking about right now! Charging after Itachi and trying to kill him is a death sentence! If he is strong enough that the entire Uchiha clan could not stop him, why do you think _you _can?

And why? Why murder him? He's your child, Mikoto. Don't you have a single ounce of love for him in your heart? Don't you want to find some way to save him so he can try to redeem himself for what he's done?

After all . . . after all . . .

"You say Itachi can't be forgiven, Mikoto? That there is no way to save him, or for him to redeem himself, for what he's done?"

"No, there is not. Sasuke harbors delusions of saving Itachi, which makes it more important that I kill Itachi . . . before Sasuke's delusions gets him killed too," Mikoto replies.

"I killed ten people twelve years ago, Mikoto," I say. "If Itachi cannot be saved or redeemed, how can I ever hope to be saved or redeemed myself, by your standards? Shouldn't I be hunted down and killed too?"

Mikoto freezes up. "Don't . . . don't say that. It's not the same thing."

"I _killed_ ten innocent people and permanently maimed dozens more! What is the difference? That I indiscriminately killed instead of choosing my targets? A life is a life, Mikoto! Those that were lost can never come back! _Never_!"

We're both staring at each other, crying. But what are we crying for? Ourselves? Our argument? Or our friendship, on the verge of crumbling as it's become clear that we're both becoming very different people?

"You assume everything fits into your personal moral code, Kushina. It doesn't. You have a naive, selfish point of view," Mikoto says, her voice trembling.

"You aren't any different," I say. "But I'd rather be naive and still believe in myself, and in other people, than give up on them. I am never giving up, on anyone or anything, much less myself. Count on it."

Mikoto just scoffs and chuckles softly, shaking her head. "You truly are Naruto's mother."

She gets up and walks away. "I mean it this time, Kushina. I'd rather not talk to you for a while, okay? And _you_ can count on _that_."

She closes the door behind her, and leaves me in the room alone. I just look at the empty flasks, and just feel _angry_. My best friend shouldn't make me feel like this! Mikoto, why? Why are you letting yourself turn into this . . . this _somebody _that I don't know?

Damn it!

The pair of _thunks _from the empty flasks hitting the wall don't soothe my heart or soul at all.

I just want to go home.

I just want to be with my son. I just want to talk to Anko. They both cheer me up.

I at least have the respect and geniality of many of the senior jonin, the trust of the Hokage, and the love of my son and the friendship of Anko Mitarashi. But Mikoto . . . she's isolating herself, piece by piece. And if she keeps isolating herself . . .

She's just going to wind up alone.

And there will be no one to save her. No one but me.

Because I will not give up on her.

Not until the very end.

* * *

Taki is a beautiful village in the daytime. The giant tree liberally shades the village but not all of it at a time. You can choose whether to be under the bright sun, or in relax in the cool shade. It's a luxury that is rare in Konoha and I admit being envious about it.

When I see Kakashi and Mikoto standing by, there is no indication that Mikoto and I just had one of the worst fights ever in our friendship. She's staring off into space with a cold look in her eyes, and when I approach her, she just looks away, even if only a little bit.

Seeing my friend look away from me makes it feel like my heart is sinking inside myself. I just feel like skin and muscle without bones to hold me up. It's just . . . it's just something indescribable.

"Are you both ready to go?" Kakashi asks, his tone suggesting total obliviousness to our fight. I know Kakashi, though. Mikoto can call me naive, but I know Kakashi is aware of our fight, somehow.

"Yes," Mikoto says.

"Whenever Fuu is ready," is my reply.

"Well, Fuu is getting her goodbye from Shibuki," Kakashi says. "We'll leave when she's done with that."

Shibuki . . .

"I don't want to go to Konoha now," Fuu says. "Now that I know that you can be awesome when you want to be. You whacked that Deidara guy in the head with your Water Slicing Blade like a club! That was how _I _got the opening to help Ms. Uzumaki!"

That makes my face heat up, just a little. I shouldn't have needed Fuu's help. I had figured out Hidan's weakness before Fuu had jumped in there. I am sure that Fuu didn't figure out what Hidan's weakness was, Fuu just made things work out by total accident. Though I can't be too angry about the final results.

"I felt like I was gonna throw up," Shibuki says, his voice uneasy.

"That's okay. As long as you didn't throw up or pee your pants, you're still awesome," Fuu says.

Shibuki just chuckles nervously. "Um, well . . . there is one more thing that I can tell you."

"Oh yeah?" Fuu asks, folding her arms. She's a bit skeptical all of a sudden.

"Well . . . I know you've been wanting to take the Chuunin Exams. They're being held in Konoha this time around, in about five months," Shibuki says. "I don't think I'm going to qualify as a jonin in time, but . . . I'm going to do my best to get two other genin ready to help you out so you have a shot at becoming chuunin, Fuu."

Fuu's eyes light up. "You really mean it, Shibuki?"

"Yes."

Fuu hugs Shibuki tightly. "Thank you! Thank you so much! I'm going to train so hard, Shibuki! My teammates and I _will _become chuunin! I promise!"

Shibuki smiles and rubs Fuu on the head. "No problem. Just train hard, Fuu. You'll get your shot very soon."

"You know I will! Thanks again, Shibuki! I'll see you soon!" Fuu gives Shibuki one more hug. "I'll see you later!"

She runs over to us, waving at Shibuki as she runs. The young jonin just waves back, not saying a word. I don't think any words need to be said. Shibuki does sincerely care about the young jinchuuriki from Taki.

"Okay, let's get outta here," Fuu says. "I said goodbye to all of the people who care about me. But I'm gonna become a chuunin, and I'm gonna kick the butts of all of _your _genin to do it, ya hear?"

Her energy reminds me of Naruto's in a way, and reminds me that despite her housing a Tailed Beast inside her, she really is just a child. "I'm sure you will do your best, Fuu."

"I will," Fuu says.

"All right, that's enough. We've got a long trip ahead of us," Kakashi says. "Let's just concentrate on making it back to Konoha in one piece, all right? You sure you can keep up, Fuu?"

"Yeah, I can," Fuu says confidently. "I know how to tree-run. I could probably outrun _you_, old man."

"Old man"? Oh, boy. Something tells me that Kakashi . . .

"Well then, I look forward to seeing you try. Bye." Kakashi suddenly takes off, leaving Fuu in the dust.

"Hey, wait! Get back here, that's cheating! You didn't say 'go'!" Fuu charges off after him.

Maybe . . . maybe Kakashi would've have been such a bad sensei for Naruto and Sasuke after all.

But before I can look at Mikoto and tell her so, she takes off at a run in total silence.

She truly meant it when she said she didn't want to talk to me.

And the distance she is putting between herself and I right now, physically, is like what is happening between us emotionally. She's leaving me further and further behind, rushing into the unknown, while I have decided to stay with _people_.

I can't let her do that, either now, physically or emotionally. I'm going to chase her down until I catch her. And then I'm going to make her see sense.

You saved my son, Mikoto.

And I will return the favor by saving you.


	18. Two Months, Sixteen Days Later

dracoholo117: Offscreen, she did. There's a timeskip between 17 and 18 though.

Fayneir: Kushina is being naive but keep in mind she IS Naruto's mother. A lot of Naruto's personality traits do come from her and while Kushina is her own person I felt that to be faithful to the original Naruto story that Kushina have some of Naruto's traits along with her own traits. She trusts Mikoto because Mikoto has always been her close friend. She can't fathom the thought of Mikoto betraying her or Konoha, even though she should because if Mikoto killed Kushina, Mikoto would get the Mangekyo Sharingan by all rights.

Riku Uzumaki: That was part of the point of that scene. Mikoto and Kushina are beginning to parallel their sons from canon, but in different ways because they're different people.

Jake A Lara: Well, I'm trying my best here to write a good first-person POV story. I find that I am a better writer in first-person than in third-person, so that's part of the reason why I opted to go to first-person for this fic. Plus, first-person for Naruto in particular seems to be pretty unique. I just wanted this fic to stand out a little.

Name Under Construction: Ding-ding-ding! Winner! Yes, "Count on it" is this fic's version of "dattebane". And thank you for the compliment . . . at least I think it's a compliment. XD Truth be told, though, I don't think in terms of gender when I write, I am trying to bring Kushina's personality into the prose, gender is an arbitrary thing to me.

This chapter is an angst-bucket. I apologize in advance for it.

Also, I should say that this fic does not take Naruto chapters 619-beyond into account. My story just does not work with the revelations found in 619. Not that I didn't enjoy the twist, but at some point you just gotta throw up your hands when canon changes everything.

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen: Two Months, Sixteen Days Later**

_There you are again, Minato._

_A figure in the golden haze, in the far-off distance, your back turned to me. Looking just like you did at your best. Before the night you died. _

_Are you going to talk to me this time, Minato? You never speak, no matter how many times I ask. Is this one going to be different? _

_No?_

_Minato, please!_

_I'm getting so worried now. Naruto's going to be doing a C-rank soon. It's inevitable. The Akatsuki are going to go after him, Minato, to get to me! I can't let our son be used as their pawn to capture me! Anko doesn't have nearly enough strength to prevent Naruto from being captured. Not against the Akatsuki, especially if they rush her in numbers. _

_Why can't you just say something, anything? I wouldn't be so desperate if you spoke to me. Have I done something wrong? Do you hate me? Is that why you're silent? Why you won't even turn to look at me?_

_Is it because of the people I killed twelve years ago, Minato? Do you hate me for that? _

_Minato, I'm sorry! I've really been trying. The last couple of months I've been trying to visit those I've hurt. I know that what I've done to them can never be repaid, but I've been trying to prove that I'm not a monster. I'm trying to make amends to them. To Konoha in general. _

_Is it because Naruto was hurt so much because I wasn't there? Do you not forgive me for that? _

_Please say something! _

_I can't take it anymore! I can't take these dreams! Every time I try to get closer, I can never get closer to you even though you don't take a single step! I just want to see your face, my love. I want to hear your voice. I just . . . I just . . . _

_I just don't know what to do. _

_It's Mikoto too. Our old friend, remember? She's beginning to seriously worry me. I can't believe she's a traitor, Minato, but she could try to do something incredibly rash and foolish. What should I do about that? What _can_ I do? Mikoto doesn't seem to want to talk to me much these days. Like she doesn't understand me anymore . . . I don't understand her. _

_Please just talk to me. Why are you doing this, Minato? _

_Please. Please say something. Please tell me what I have done to deserve this. I know it could be many things. I've done so much wrong. I was not there for our son in his first eight years. I've killed ten of the people you were chosen to lead. _

_I failed to take Mito's advice, to let love conquer the beast. I let my hatred control me that night when you died, and my hate led to the Nine-Tailed Fox trying to take revenge on Konoha, the village that sealed it away. I caused so much pain and destruction. I could've destroyed the whole village if it wasn't for Mikoto._

_That's why I have to save her, Minato. She's my best friend, and a friend of yours as well. She risked herself to stop me, and to save our child. And now, she needs to be saved too, before her revenge quest against her eldest son turns into something that I can't stop. That no one, not even Hiruzen, can stop. _

_For heaven's sake, say something! React to me! Stop standing there like a statue!_

_Or are you the Nine-Tailed Fox, pretending to be Minato, and you're just torturing me by doing this?_

_Stop standing there! _

_Stop acting like you're not listening!_

_Minato, tell me what I should do! _

_Oh no. You're turning around again. _

_The bright light again. _

_Minato, don't do this to me!_

_I can't take it anymore!_

_Please, _stop!

* * *

I wake up in tears.

I sit up on my bed, my trembling hands clutching my blanket. It's happened yet _again_. Yet another vision of you, Minato. Another vision that goes nowhere, that results in me waking up in my bed, in my home, without any answers.

What is it you're telling me by making me wake up?

Or are you telling me nothing at all and you're just sick of me crying to you?

Minato, _please_. If this is because you hate me or are disappointed in me because of my mistakes, I understand. Just tell me that's the case. I can take it. I swear I can take it. I'd feel better if that was the truth.

It's better than being in limbo all the time.

_Damn it_!

Oh, this hurts.

Cramps.

At least they didn't happen while I was on a mission this time.

I collapse back into bed. Now I don't want to get up and make breakfast.

It's like the heavens are taunting me when I have cramps. It's like this insidious whisper inside my head, _You can still have children_, but I know I'll never have another child, Minato. Naruto will never have a brother or sister.

And I don't think I will re-marry. I don't have the desire to, and I don't think any men would want anything to do with me anyway. We saw things in each other that no one else saw, Minato. We were connected by the red thread of fate, because you loved my hair when everyone else seemed to mock it, because you came to rescue me that one night when I left hair on the ground to leave a trail.

It was you. Only you. Could only have ever been you.

In retrospect . . . I think I would've wanted four children with you, Minato. At least one of them would've been a daughter, but . . . at least one other son, too. I don't know what they would have looked like, or acted like, but we would have loved them all, Minato. And I would have gone through three more pregnancies, all of them ten months thanks to this seal, to get that big family.

We would have been so happy.

Instead . . . I am here, cramping up in a bed built for a single person instead of two, our only child sleeping in another room, alone for so long, with scarcely anyone caring for him.

I should count my blessings that our only child is still alive after the _hell _of that night twelve years ago. You died, Hiruzen's wife died, so many ANBU trying to protect us died, Naruto and I almost died . . .

Why?

Why couldn't it have been _you _who survived, Minato?

Everything would have been better for our son if I had been the one who died that night. I am sure you would've sealed the Nine-Tailed Fox into someone else if I had died, whether it was Naruto or someone else. But Naruto . . . even if it had been him who had the beast sealed inside him . . . you would still be the Hokage. You would've stayed right in Konoha and made sure Naruto had a happy, stable life. You never would've run away.

You never would've abandoned Naruto like I did.

Minato, if I could trade . . . I would. Without a second thought. Naruto's life would have been better, Konoha would have been safer, no one would've had to die twelve years ago other than the monsters who went after our child and the Nine-Tailed Fox.

No one would hate you or our son.

All those people I hurt would be perfectly fine and be able to live normal lives in our village.

Everything . . . everything just would've been better off if I was dead and you were alive, Minato.

Can you imagine how knowing this makes me feel, every day? Knowing that all of this suffering and pain Konoha has felt is because of me, and if I was dead, and you were alive, none of it would have happened?

It's a miracle I haven't fallen apart completely.

I turn to my left, and I see the picture that was taken of Naruto and I three years ago. He looks so _happy _in that picture, Minato. There's that big grin on his face, the confident pose he's striking in spite of my hands being on his shoulders. There is a pure joy in that photograph that isn't in the few other pictures that were taken of him before. In the earlier pictures, he either looked mischievous, like he's planning some kind of prank, or, worse, vulnerable and lonely. That's when I was not there, and many of the other pictures were without Anko being a presence in his life at all.

In the other photographs taken since I returned to Naruto's life, that happiness is still there. It hasn't abated one bit in the last four years. It's a child who was not loved by anyone who suddenly knows what it is like to _be_loved.

I take the picture in my hands and hold it close. I know part of what keeps me going is knowing that Naruto loves me and has forgiven me for what I've done.

If Naruto wasn't such a free-spirited child, he would never have forgiven me for what I did. He likely wouldn't think of me as his mother. I just would've been a stranger waltzing into his life. Probably like how he viewed Anko when she got involved.

I know Anko tried her best. I know how deeply she cares for Naruto. But she wasn't there half the time despite her best efforts. Naruto was still lonely, and it was worse when she was gone on a mission. And I don't know if Naruto ever completely accepted Anko, even though she was trying so hard. I know that Naruto thinks of Anko as a close friend and sisterly figure _now_, but I don't know all of the details of their years together before I returned to Konoha. I know enough that it's clear their relationship had its rocky periods, particularly in the beginning.

If they don't want to talk about the hardships they had together, or any of the likely fights they had, then that is their decision. I'm not going to pry.

I wonder what you think of all this, Minato.

You know what I wish, my love? I wish you could help me with my own loneliness. Even though I am surrounded by people now, I still feel alone. In a way it's worse than when I lived alone in the cabin for six years. Feeling the cold stares of the people I betrayed, and witnessing the anger and fear of the children who just go by what the adults do, it makes me wish I never came back to Konoha at all.

And then I look at Naruto's pictures, and see the change in him, and it just brings tears to my eyes. Is the condemnation of the majority of Konoha worth the love of our only child? Does it make up for it?

Your silence never helps either. It just makes me feel worse. It would be easier for me to move forward if I knew you still loved me, Minato.

I love you. I'll always love you, Minato, no matter what you think of me now. But I don't know if you still love me, wherever you are. Once, I was sure you still did. Now, I no longer am.

Just . . . just tell me someday. Please.

I can hear Naruto stirring. He's loud when he wakes up, he makes these dramatic yawning and smacking noises.

I can't keep sitting here crying, not because of my cramps, but because of how lonely and unsure I feel. I don't want Naruto to worry about me. I've shown him too much vulnerability over the years as it is. I'd like to go one month without Naruto having to comfort me in the morning. This month, I've managed to make it two weeks. I'm halfway there.

I wipe my eyes and set the picture down at my bedside. I can at least blame my distress on my period, that'll make Naruto not pry, he'll just go "Too much info, Mom!" And then I'll laugh about it, and Naruto will blush and let out an embarrassed chuckle, and we can just move on with our days.

I'd prefer if he doesn't notice at all.

* * *

I hardly feel up to beating a couple of eggs in a bowl and then pouring them into a pair of bowls of steamed rice and mixing them together, but I do so. Naruto knows something is wrong when I don't prepare breakfast in the morning. Heck, even preparing katsudon, which is the easiest dish I can make from scratch, has become a warning sign to Naruto.

I am really determined to make it through a month without Naruto having to comfort me or tell me that I shouldn't worry about anything. I have to do it. For my own self-esteem if nothing else.

At least creating something this elaborate helps me take my mind off things. I can just concentrate on the food and put all of my problems to the side . . . up to a point.

The breakfast today is tamago kake gohan, with tsukemono and small miso soup bowls as the side dishes, with orange juice being the drink of choice. Somewhat time-consuming to prepare the main meal and side dishes all at once, but Naruto loves it and I enjoy it too. Naruto's helped me appreciate food again, after so many years of relative apathy about my cooking. I can't be apathetic about food when I am feeding more than just myself.

I've managed to get a good sense of how long it takes Naruto to get up without prodding him in the last four years, and he comes down literally as I finish setting his food down on the table.

His eyes light up like they always do. "Oh wow! Mom, thank you very much!"

I can't help but smile when looking into his eyes when he's this happy. "You're welcome. Go ahead and eat. I know you have a lot of training to do today."

"Yeah. Training, training, and more training," Naruto grumbles, but he nevertheless begins eating anyway.

I put my cookware to the side to be washed later. Naruto has been getting antsy lately. I'm sure I know the reason why. "Getting sick of all the training, huh? No missions?"

"Oh, there's missions," Naruto says after swallowing a large chunk of the tsukemono. He _always_ eats that first before the soup or the main course. "But the missions _suck_, Mom. The last mission we had was to track down a lost cat!"

"Aw, how cute," I say, trying to put a light spin on things.

Naruto gives me a "are you _crazy_?" look. "That cat tried to claw my eyes out! Believe it!"

I sit down at the table. "I highly doubt a cat would be ferocious enough to get the best of a ninja like you, Naruto."

"Oh, you have _not_ seen this cat, Mom. This cat was _pure _evil. Its name was Tiger and it was owned by the wife of the ruler of the Land of Fire! And it . . ."

Naruto pauses. "Oh, what am I saying? I want a _real _mission! What's taking Anko so long to get us one?"

I just calmly eat my egg-lathered rice as Naruto rants, making sure I keep eye contact and listen to him. I understand his frustration. I was a genin just like him once, even though it feels far away now.

I swallow and look at him. "Naruto, your time for a C-rank will come when Anko feels everyone on the team is ready for one. C-ranks are much different than D-ranks. They are significantly more dangerous. Often you are protecting something or _someone_, and conflict with other humans happen a lot. Everything you're learning right now will be put to the test in C-ranks, Naruto."

Naruto just grumbles. Not unexpected.

"What is Anko trying to teach you right now?"

"How to climb trees," Naruto says.

Ah. Chakra control. "I'm sure she explained how it works, how you channel your chakra to the soles of your feet so you stick to the tree even without the use of your hands."

"Yeah, yeah, she did. I can never climb up them though," Naruto replies. "I get farther and farther up but then I lose control and go splat. It's a good thing Sasuke isn't good at it either or I'd really feel like I suck, so."

I really wish Naruto would learn how to get along with Sasuke. It's not like Sasuke is out to get him.

But . . . the best way for Naruto to get his mind off of Sasuke is to not address his issue with Sasuke.

"Tree-running is an essential skill," I reply. "I would never recommend attempting a C-rank without it. It takes a while to get down, though. Sometimes you can press down too hard or too lightly. All you need to do is just adjust the amount of chakra you're sending to your soles. If you're pressing down too hard, use less, if you're not pressing hard enough, use more. And keep working on it. Your chakra reserves, and control over chakra, will both build over time. It's like muscle that way."

I had almost forgotten how hard it had been for me to learn how to climb and run through trees. I can do it without thinking now, my body's learned how to adjust chakra as an automatic reaction, without a moment's thought. But that comes with decades of experience. Naruto's just starting out.

"You say that like it's easy," Naruto sighs.

"It's not easy. It's just a lot of hard work and mistakes until you get it right. Everyone learns how to do it differently," I say.

"I guess," Naruto sighs.

"Don't get discouraged. I mean it. You _will _get it right," I say.

Naruto returns my smile. "You bet I will."

* * *

I don't usually go out to the practice field when Naruto is training with his team. I don't want to embarrass him. But I want to see where Naruto's problem is with climbing up trees. If I can figure out where Naruto's problem lies, I'll be able to provide more specific advice. Of course, without dropping a hint that I'm spying on Naruto.

I see Fuu is here as well. Anko told me that Fuu, in the two months or so since we brought her here to Konoha, has developed a habit of hanging around the practice field and asking to train with one the jonin teams for the day. Most of the jonin don't really mind, they find her good practice for their genin, other than Kurenai's team. And that is mostly because Kurenai finds Fuu immensely aggravating.

Fuu seems to be doing _something _with Hinata Hyuga down by the river, and Naruto and Sasuke are working on climbing trees. Neither are very good at it. They're both struggling to climb their way up the bark just by running up on it. The first attempt I see Naruto do looks promising, but then his right foot either slips or just doesn't have balanced chakra control and Naruto falls.

_Slam_. I wince upon seeing my son slam into the ground. _That _was falling almost a story. Naruto is lucky if he didn't separate his shoulder on that one.

Anko runs over and tends to Naruto. She had been working with Hinata at that point, but now her attention has turned solely to Naruto, and to Sasuke, whose attempt at running up the tree also fails but he is able to land on his feet without breaking anything.

I decide after watching this that I wasn't going to hide nearby and watch. It doesn't feel right to spy on my son. Anyway, I haven't helped Anko out at all yet, and who knows? Maybe she could need a little bit of assistance, at least with the first aid part.

I just hope I don't embarrass Naruto too much.

So I leap out of the trees, and casually walk up to Anko as she pats Naruto on the back.

They both look at me, but Naruto talks first. "Uh, Mom? What're you doing here?"

"I just want to talk with Anko for a bit, that's all," I reply.

"Oh," Naruto replies, scratching his head, clearly confused.

"Is something up?" Anko asks, _also _scratching her head. She and Naruto share quite a bit in common, including some of their nervous habits.

"Just seeing how you're holding up."

Anko chuckles. "I'm learning why Fuu drives Kurenai up the wall. She makes things a _tad _more complicated."

I hear a splashing noise, and I see a wet and embarrassed-looking Hinata Hyuga staring at Fuu, who is shouting something encouraging but Hinata isn't heartened by what Fuu is saying at all.

"I assume there's a method to your madness," I say.

"Yeah, there is," Anko says. "In the morning, it's all about chakra control and ninjutsu, and in the afternoon after lunch we're mostly doing taijutsu with some extra ninjutsu practice. Generally, I have two of the team work on chakra control and the spare work on ninjutsu with more personalized instruction from me."

"I didn't know the Hyuga Clan used a lot of ninjutsu," I say, looking at soaked Hinata as she tries to focus, her Byakugan activated from the looks of it, with veins bulging around her gray eyes.

"They don't. I'm just trying to give Hinata some versatility. I'm trying to have her use her Gentle Fist as a way to use a far-range water attack. I've figured out her primary chakra nature is water, so that helps," Anko replies.

Just then, Hinata focuses, and uses her Gentle Fist palms on the water, and all I see is a huge splash . . . but also a couple of thin slivers blast out of the splash, flying into a couple of paper targets with black circles. They don't hit dead center, but they do hit the paper.

"Getting better, Hinata! Keep working on your control! You got a couple of needles to fire this time!" Anko yells.

Hinata blushes. "T-Thank you, Anko-sensei."

"I love Hinata. She's the only one who called me 'Anko-sensei' immediately," Anko says cheerfully.

Fuu runs over and begins speaking to Hinata about her stance, and I look at Anko. "So Hinata's trying to come up with some kind of water needle technique?"

"I'm figuring it's the best way for the Gentle Fist to be used for ninjutsu. Something small and highly focused," Anko says. "She can't just rely on that Gentle Fist attack, Eight Trigrams, Thirty-Two Palms or whatever it's called."

"Have you had any advice at all from the other jonin?" I ask.

"I've been going to Kakashi Hatake a lot for advice, and he's taught me a few things too," Anko says. "He was originally gonna be this team's sensei anyway. I don't feel embarrassed to do it."

"What did he tell you?" I ask.

"Well . . ." Anko gives me a lopsided grin. "He told me I went way too easy on them for my genin test and he would've flunked all three of them."

Sounds like Kakashi. I just sigh upon hearing that. I guess Naruto dodged a close one there, even though I actually like Kakashi, he had been one of Minato's students.

"What did he tell you _other _than that?" I ask.

"Well . . . he told me to do a lot of concentration on chakra control and taijutsu at first, then gradually identify my team's strengths and weaknesses. If there's a chance, identify my team's chakra natures too, so you know what you're working with."

Anko sighs. "Naruto's primary chakra nature is wind. I haven't found a secondary for him."

I'm not surprised. Minato's primary chakra nature was wind, and wind is my secondary nature. All of that wind chakra in his parentage pretty much guarantees wind chakra nature.

"Sasuke . . . I've found two. He's like me, fire and lightning. Hinata I've only found one, water," Anko adds. "Naruto is the only one who has any potential as a medic too. I'm actually kinda worried about that, we're a team of front-line fighters, and Naruto's instincts don't make him a very good medic, no offense, Kushina."

"None taken," I reply, but my heart sinks. No true healer means that if someone gets seriously hurt, it's going to be difficult to keep the injured alive without a reasonable amount of first aid. Especially if it was _Anko _who got hurt.

I bite my lip. I'm getting nervous about this. I'm not sure if this team should go out on C-ranks, period. Not until they're tough enough that they don't need a healer.

Anko raises an eyebrow. "Anyway, why're you here? I need to start paying attention to my students, their discipline is going to go down soon."

"Well . . ." There's a lot of things I want to ask Anko, and, truth be told, I am concerned about Naruto's chakra control.

I pick one of the topics and just roll with it. "Naruto was wondering whether you'll be trying to get them a C-rank soon."

"Oh." Anko blinks. "Oh yeah, he's been kinda anxious about that. Not surprised. Kurenai's team just got their first C-rank. They're guarding some bridge-builder who lives in the Land of Waves. They set off on that mission yesterday. That just leaves us and Team 10 as the last genin teams who haven't attempted a C-rank yet."

She scratches the back of her head. "Well . . . if Naruto and Sasuke can get up those trees, I was gonna apply for one. Hinata already passed the tree test."

Just as she says that, Sasuke very nearly makes it to the top of a branch, but is forced to jump off and land on the ground. He came _really _close to pulling it off.

Seeing that makes my heart skip a beat. That's a sign that their first C-rank could happen any day now. If that's all that Anko was looking for, that C-rank is imminent.

Can I . . . can I really handle it? Knowing Naruto could be heading into a foreign land, possibly filled with a lot of danger? Possibly with the Akatsuki watching? I know I didn't kill Hidan in our battle a couple of months ago. He's going to be wanting revenge.

I'm really not sure if I can just let Naruto go.

"Is something wrong?" Anko asks, her face concerned.

"Nothing," I lie. I look past Anko as Naruto is giving it another go, and my heart does something more than skipping a beat.

It begins slamming against my chest as I see Naruto charge up the tree.

He's doing it. He's actually doing it.

Anko spins around to watch Naruto go. "Oh wow."

Naruto charges up the tree and climbs onto one of the branches, and collapses on it, clearly sweating and exhausted, but successful. "I did it!" he gasps. "I did it! Did ya see that, Anko?"

"Yes, I did. And it's Anko-_sensei_!" Anko yells back.

That's when Sasuke charges up the very same tree in a blur and manages to get to the branch above Naruto, before he also collapses, covered in sweat.

"Oh come on!" Naruto yells. "Always gotta one-up me, Sasuke?"

Sasuke audibly chuckles and gives Naruto the thumbs-up. Naruto just groans.

"Great job, Sasuke! Both of you, really! Now we just gotta work on that endurance!" Anko yells.

I personally think I'm going to be sick, and my cramps are back with a vengeance, not helping at all.

"Well," Anko says cheerfully as she turns to face me. "I guess I'm sending in that request for a C-rank today, then."

The smile fades. "Uh, Kushina? You okay?"

I know my emotions must be showing. I have to look like I'm having a heart attack. I just watched my son, my only child, just earn himself a C-ranked mission.

Hidan's words from the battle at Taki still echo throughout my mind. They know who I am. They know who Naruto is. They _could _grab him at any moment after he exits the village.

I can't allow that. But at the same time, what gives me the right to stop Naruto from becoming a better shinobi? This is Naruto's dream. His goal. He can't become Hokage if I'm holding him back. But at the same time . . . the danger is just incredible. Naruto's not an ordinary child. He's _my _child. Someone could want him just to get to me.

"You-hoo, Kushina? You alive in there?" Anko asks, waving her hand in front of my face.

"It's that time of the month," I say awkwardly, kind of wishing I didn't have to use that as an excuse in front of Anko.

"_Ohh_," Anko says. "I thought you were too old for . . . you know, _periods_."

"I am thirty-seven years old," I reply. "My clan is renowned for great vitality. I don't even have a gray hair yet. Should you really be shocked that I still . . . you know, have that time?"

"That still makes you old."

Don't make me shake you silly, Anko. Knowing that Naruto is about to go on a C-rank is already pushing me to the edge.

I don't want to let him go. Some part of me is telling me he's not ready. And even if he was, he stands no chance against these 'Akatsuki'. Not against Hidan, or Deidara, Kakuzu, or any of the others.

The thought of Naruto charging into the unknown with those _monsters _lurking around horrifies me to no end.

"Anyway . . . congratulations. You're doing well so far," I manage to say, forcing myself to look pleasant.

"Thank you. I'm doing my best."

"I'm just . . . going to take a walk. Maybe it'll make my . . . you know, get better or something," I say.

"Yeah. Have fun with . . . you know," Anko says with a goofy smile.

I do not feel the least bit amused. Just increasingly nervous and panicky.

All I can envision as I walk away from the practice field is Naruto getting sliced into pieces by Hidan, being blown up into gory chunks by Deidara, or having his head punched off by Kakuzu.

And that's not to say that _other _dangerous people aren't lying in wait for them, either.

But I can't freak out. Not in front of Anko. That will be a major blow to this young woman's morale. I can't do that to her.

"Bye," I said, waving as I walk away.

I know Anko is saying bye, but I can't hear her. The outside world is completely blocked off to me, as I envision the many, many ways for my son to die.

I am just not ready for this. Minato, I'm really not ready for this.

Those pictures of a joyful Naruto, whether it's him clowning around in the same shot of me, or just with a big, optimistic smile, also flash through my brain along with the imagined deaths.

At the same time, I have to let him go. This is Naruto's dream. I have no right to interfere.

But . . .

Naruto, he could . . .

Minato, help me! What should I do? What if . . . what if . . .

Argh!

I have to decide. I have to decide _now_. They'll be assigned their mission tomorrow in all likelihood!

What do I do?

Just . . . just . . .

What _can _I do?

I just feel helpless. Even more helpless than when I was caught in Hidan's Ceremony of Death. It's like I'm watching my son go off into a war where he has no chance of surviving.

I'm scared. That's all there is to it. I'm legitimately, completely, one-hundred-percent scared.

Maybe, maybe . . .

I take a deep breath as I clutch my chest and my aching heart. Maybe I can handle it if . . . if . . .

I just watch. Once.

Make sure Anko has everything under control. Make sure Naruto's development is going on all right. That nothing ridiculous or out of the skill levels of the genin is going to happen on a C-rank. That's all I'll do. Just observe for a while. And when the mission's over, I can breathe easier, because I know Naruto can handle it, and so can Anko, and I can leave them alone and let them progress in peace.

Yeah, that's what I'll do.

They won't even know I'm watching them.

Anko, Naruto, I'm sorry. This is the only way I can handle it.

Minato, I'm also sorry. For not having enough faith in our son.

Please, everyone. I know I've done too many things to deserve forgiveness for it all, but please . . . forgive me for this one.

I just can't live without knowing, once and for all . . .

That Naruto will be okay.

That's all I need to know.

That's all I'll ever need . . .


	19. Guidance

Hurry-up no Jutsu, activate!

dracoholo117: You have NO idea how accurate you are. XD

Riku Uzumaki: Actually, Fuu is legitimately trying to help Hinata there. THIS chapter however . . . you'd be right. XD

Carnage: Kushina may go on a date or two just to see if she can move on from Minato, but the truth is a big theme in this fic is how Kushina's heart will go on. She may be heartbroken but she's going to keep living and raise Naruto with as much love as she can. That's how she is. As for reviving Minato . . . what you're talking about is highly spoiler-y. I'm not going to answer that part of your question.

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen: Guidance**

"C-rank mission! About time! I was wondering if we were ever going to go on one!" Naruto cheers over lunch.

"Congratulations," I say, forcing myself to crack a smile despite how sick I feel on the inside.

It's been a day since Naruto and Sasuke had progressed in chakra control enough to make Anko decide to start the team's first C-ranked mission. The day has not made me feel better about the concept. I just feel sicker and sicker to my stomach . . . or it just might be my cramps, which are lingering, getting to me. Or both.

Anko, even though she's moved out to the apartment across the street, still frequently comes over the lunch, and she has a big grin on her face. "I was just waiting to see if everyone was ready for it, that's all. It's a big jump from D-ranks. You shouldn't expect to encounter other shinobi on these missions, but there might be brigands, mercenaries, you get the idea."

Naruto chuckles mischievously. "Oh yeah. Big dumb musclemen are about to get their butts kicked! Believe it!"

"Just be careful," I say. "Don't get overconfident, Naruto. I mean that. There have been casualties on C-ranks."

"Anko never got hurt on her C-ranks," Naruto says, raising an eyebrow on me.

"I also was a chuunin and had a lot of experience," Anko replies. "When you're a chuunin, C-ranks _are_ easy. But when you're a fresh genin on your first C-rank, not so much. Your mom's right."

About time Anko agrees with me on _something_. Not exactly a victory for me but I'll still take it. It means she's finally learning some semblance of responsibility.

"Any idea on what the C-rank is about?" I ask.

"C-ranks are often bodyguard missions for important or famous people who are worried about being robbed or something," Anko says. "Probably it would be one of those. Any bad guys would be more likely to attack if the protectors are a bunch of a kids, so the kids get some combat experience in while I, the jonin, make sure the person we're protecting is all nice and safe while the kids sock it to the bad guys."

Naruto chuckles at that. "I can't wait. I wonder if we're going to protect a princess. I'd love to protect a princess!"

This does not surprise me at all. I have the impression that Naruto is a secret optimistic romantic. He wants to meet some perfect, innocent royal type and sweep her off her feet. Kind of like Minato wanted to do with me, though I'm no regal and not so easily swept. Though Minato managed to do that to me anyway.

Anko gives Naruto a mysterious little smile. "Aww, does Naruto want to live in a fairy tale? Think you're some great samurai?"

"I am not a samurai! I'm a ninja! And ninja are cooler because we get to be sneaky and be in the shadows and stuff!" Naruto replies.

"Which is why you wear orange. Because you're 'sneaky'," Anko replies, knowingly

Naruto looks down at his orange-and-blue outfit. "Aw, come on! Do you _have_ to go there?"

"Just sayin'," Anko says cheerfully.

Naruto just groans.

"Anyway, I don't know exactly what we're doing, we're gonna find out at about two o'clock this afternoon," Anko says.

"Aw, I wanna know _something_," Naruto whines.

Anko chuckles. "Well, this is the best I got, soul brother. I heard last night that what the Hokage has in mind for us involves someplace _cold_."

"Cold?" Naruto asks, his eyes widening. "But it's almost summer!"

"Well, the Hokage said this place was gonna be cold, and I'm gonna believe him," Anko replies. "I'm going to want you to bring some winter clothes and a scarf with you. And no sandals. Boots. I do _not_ want frostbite. Your mom would strangle me if I let you freeze your toes off."

"Whatever gave you _that_ idea?" I ask rhetorically. I try to smile, but the continued sickness in my stomach, and my lingering cramps, probably make my smile look _odd_ at best and my voice sound painful.

"That face you're giving me kinda does," Anko says. "Seriously, you okay? You've been acting funny since I came over."

"I'm fine," I reply.

Anko gives me a goofy grin. "No, you're not. You're still having your period, aren't ya?"

Damn it, Anko! "Do we _really_ need to talk about me having my peri-er, that time of the month in front of my son?"

"I don't care, as long as I don't have have to hear all the gross things," Naruto says. "I know all about women stuff. When we first started living together, Anko-"

"This conversation's over!" Anko interrupts, her face flushed with embarrassment.

Naruto just gives Anko a big, toothy grin. "What? Jealous that women stuff doesn't happen to me? I remember when we moved in together! It was _so_ bad you-"

Anko gets up from her seat. "That's it! Noogies for you!"

"Gah, wait, not at the lunch table! Argh! Mom, help me!" Naruto wails as Anko wrestles him to the floor and begins her patented noogies.

"Boys should _not_ talk about women stuff!" Anko yells.

"I get it, I get it!" Naruto wails as he futilely tries to struggle in Anko's grasp.

"That's enough, Anko," I say.

"Hmmph." Anko releases Naruto and he scurries away several feet. "I hope you learned your lesson, Naruto," Anko says as she gets up.

"Why me?" Naruto groans as he stumbles onto his feet, rubbing his head.

"_Anyway_," I say, putting extra emphasis on to let everyone know we're leaving this conversation once and for all, "I know you're not going to let Naruto or anyone else freeze, Anko. I know you're going to be responsible for everyone."

Anko smiles. "I'm gonna try. It's much of a test of _me_ as everyone else. They're trying to see if I can keep three young ninja in line on a combat mission. If I can pull this off without a hitch, I think I'll be able to do this for a _long_ time."

"You really plan to train genin your entire life?" Naruto asks.

"Until I'm old and wrinkly, yeah," Anko replies.

She sighs and looks down for a moment. "I don't think I'm going to have any kids or be able to go any further than this. I have Orochimaru's curse seal on my neck still. Every man I've gone out with never dates me again once they find out about this mark. And I know that the Hokage won't have me do anything really sensitive, in case that this mark turns me into Orochimaru's double agent or something. I consider it a small miracle that they're letting me even do _this_ much."

Anko's smile returns. It's not sad or wistful, but honest and optimistic. "But this isn't a bad fate for me at all. Far from it. I'm going to get as many genin as possible to become chuunin and become the leaders of Konoha's next generation, maybe two generations. And when you think about it, that's a very fulfilling life."

"Aren't you kinda getting ahead of yourself there, Anko?" Naruto asks.

Anko gives Naruto an annoyed look. "Way to kill the mood."

"Just sayin'."

Personally, I find Anko's words rather heartening. I'm glad to hear some maturity behind those words. The responsibility on her shoulders is making Anko grow up, if only a little. I wonder if Hiruzen saw this, and that's what helped him choose Anko for this over an ANBU like apparently everyone else wanted. That he saw a young woman who could mature and train plenty of genin to become a strong core for the Village Hidden in the Leaves for years to come.

I wonder if Naruto will mature the same way.

Wait . . . maybe I'm crazy, but was this the Hokage's plan all along? For Anko, and Naruto too . . .

I should probably ask him that someday.

The thought is just too strong in my head for me to just let it go.

* * *

The Hokage memorial did not have a garden in it before. That was something I did after I returned to Konoha. I didn't like seeing just a giant stone centered in a sea of _grass_. The best way to celebrate the lives of all the deceased Hokage is with the widest variety of life possible. That was the first thing I thought when I saw the memorial after I returned here, and I decided I was going to make one.

The garden gets a little bigger every year. I have managed to attract quite a few butterflies and bees to it, but not many birds yet. I have a feeling I'm going to need to plant a couple more trees around it before birds will start feeling more comfortable with this place.

For a while, I was the only one who maintained it. But now, when I'm gone, I've noticed someone keeps it in good shape. It's only been for the last few months, but still. That person is being incredibly thoughtful by doing this for me when I am not here.

I wonder who that person is. Hiruzen told me that he knows the identity of the person, and he told me that the person wishes to stay anonymous. Hiruzen wouldn't even tell me the person's gender.

Why would someone wish to stay anonymous for helping me maintain a garden? I mean, I know I'm not the most popular person in the village, but why would you hide your identity from me? I'd just want to say "thank you", and I'd let it be if you don't like me that much.

At least it's rained recently. I don't need to worry about bringing a a lot of water with me. While bringing a lot of water is useful for strength training, trying to haul it through the village to the memorial is less than preferable. I don't like having to take multiple trips through a potentially hostile village if I don't have to.

Still, everyone seems to be ignoring me today as I pass through. Everyone knows what I do at the memorial. They have too much respect for the previous Hokage, even Minato, to mess with me when the garden was sanctioned by the current Hokage himself. That just means all I have to worry about are-

"_Somebody help me_!"

Kids.

A girl charges in front of me as I'm about to walk through an intersection. I only see her for a split second, but I recognize her. Fuu. And she looks _terrified_.

A split second later, what looks like a massive green boulder charges through in front of me.

"_He's gonna squish me! Help, help, help!_" Fuu shrieks as she runs off in the distance, being rapidly pursued by this strange boulder that seems to be acting like its alive by the way it's honed in on her.

I don't know what this is about, but I'm not sure I want to be involved with sentient boulders.

"Choji! _Choji_! Squishing that girl is gonna get us all in trouble! She's an honored guest of the village!" A blonde girl comes rushing past me. I recognize her. Ino Yamanaka. She's part of Team 10, the last team to have not received a C-rank yet.

"Hurry up, Shikamaru! If Choji runs her over we're _never_ gonna get a C-rank!" she yells as she follows the trail of the sentient boulder.

Shikamaru Nara reluctantly jogs past me. "This is just a drag. Why does she think I care about Ds and Cs and whatever?" he asks me, presumably rhetorically.

"I assume you care if your teammate squishes Fuu flat," I say.

He sighs. "Yeah, I guess I should care about that. Dumb girl. She _had_ to eat Choji's potato chips. I warned her not to touch those . . ."

He continues his steady jog after the long-vanished Fuu, the also-vanished boulder-that-I-assume-is-Choji Akimichi, and the _very_ distant and confused-looking Ino.

I . . . will assume, for now, that they'll settle their differences without any _lethal_ violence. They're all genin. But if they cross my path again, I'm going to have to do something.

So I keep walking, and try to keep myself calm and serene as I approach the Hokage memorial and begin my work. The trees I've planted have long not needed extra water, there's been enough rainfall the last couple of weeks to keep them going, so it's just the flowers and bushes today.

I hope you like what I'm doing, Minato. I know this place wasn't designed to have a garden around it. But it just didn't look right. It just felt . . . lonely. You and your predecessors deserve something more than just stone. You should have the feeling of _life_ around you.

I get about halfway done when Fuu comes charging to the memorial.

She's panting from exhaustion. "I think I finally lost him," she says as she wipes her brow.

There's a lot of things I want to say to Fuu the moment I see her. The first thing that makes it to my mouth is "Are you crazy? If that boulder-person-thing comes charging in here, he could damage the memorial! This is where the Hokage lay!"

"I know! That's why I figure I'm safe! Choji may be stupid but he won't attack me if he can damage the memorial!" Fuu says.

"So . . . you have taken the memorial hostage, huh?" I ask.

Fuu's eyes widen and the smile she gives me is incredibly sheepish. "Uh . . ."

I just sigh. Fuu is smart enough to realize she needs some kind of safety, but she didn't think this through enough. She's panicking and not making the best decision, which is standing her ground, calming down the person after her, and find some way to apologize and make it up.

Fuu wipes her brow again, and sits down on the concrete. "I guess you're right. Your husband was one of these 'Hokage', right? I know you, more than anyone else, wouldn't want this damaged. Or smashed into pieces."

"He was one of the 'Hokage'. His name was Minato Namikaze. He was . . . a really special man, and he is the father of my only child," I reply.

"He has to be special. He married a jinchuuriki," Fuu replies.

I know Fuu isn't trying to hurt me but her words still sting. "I know. He accepted that part about me because he loved me."

"I hope this means there's some boy out there who won't mind that I'm a jinchuuriki too," Fuu replies, almost thoughtfully. "I mean, if you can marry and have a kid and have people who love you, who says I can't have that happen to me either?"

I have a vision of an adult Fuu in a wedding gown, a handsome boy at her side. The thought makes me smile. "You're right. It very well could."

Fuu chuckles. "It's kinda weird. I feel better about having Choumei inside me now that I've been here. Knowing more about you has helped."

"I'm glad," I say. I'm starting to relax a little, as it's become clear that Fuu truly did lose Choji.

She kicks back. "Though I'm getting kinda bored around here too. Taki is sleepy, but this place is almost as bad. I want some excitement, man."

"Didn't you just have 'excitement' thanks to someone trying to run you over?" I ask.

"I want _good_ excitement. As in, excitement that won't harm _me_. The kind of excitement I've had for the last half-hour is _not_ what I was looking for," Fuu says.

"What did you do to Choji anyway?" I ask.

Fuu shakes her head. "I just ate his chips. I didn't know they were his, I just ate 'em because I was hungry after training. I dunno why he was so angry about it, either. They didn't even taste that good, so."

That doesn't exactly exonerate you, Fuu.

She laughs sarcastically. "This sucks. I'm gonna be flattened over bland potato chips."

Okay, I can easily see where Fuu went wrong here. I don't know how she lived over in Taki, but you don't pull that kind of stunt here. Even Naruto, in his densest moments, knows better than to do what Fuu just did. You ask before you take, or prepare to feel the consequences.

"Fuu, in Taki, did you just take without asking for permission?"

"I kinda had to," Fuu replies. "People didn't like me whether I did good things or bad things. So I just took what I could because that was how I had to live. It wasn't until the last few years that some people decided they should give a crap about me."

She rolls over so she's looking at me. "It's nice to know, once and for all, that it's not just me. That the rumors of other jinchuuriki aren't just stories. Heck, you just came to my village and helped save my life from those Akatsuki. I can't ask for anything better than that."

It's hard to be angry at this girl. She's just doing what she feels she has to do.

"While I'm glad that you appreciate being rescued, Fuu, in Konoha, you don't have just _take_. Ask for permission. I am sure Choji would have-"

_Thump_.

Uh oh.

I stand up and see Choji Akimichi standing in front of the memorial, his thin eyes seemingly locked in a berserker rage.

"There you are!" Choji yells.

Fuu yelps and then stands up. "Dang it! Don't you ever quit?"

"You took what was most precious to me, and now you will pay! Expansion Technique!"

The midsection of Choji's body suddenly expands, and he suddenly looks like a gigantic ball with feet and human legs. He also clearly has some sort of seal on his clothing to allow it to expand with him, because none of it rips off with his transformation.

"A _chip bag_ is what's most precious to you?" Fuu asks incredulously.

"It's food in general! Food is what's needed to keep you alive!" Choji yells.

Fuu shakes her head. "You don't need any more food! You're fat as it is!"

"Fat?" Choji looks like he's about to pop a blood vessel. "I am not _fat_! I am _big-boned_! Big-boned people unite!"

"Uh . . . no. You're fat, in every definition of the term," Fuu replies. "Especially right now."

Choji lets out an enraged roar, and it's become _very_ clear to me that these two will not be settling their differences without violence.

I have to intervene before they wreck the memorial!

This is so frustrating! These kids didn't need to bring it to this point!

Choji comes barreling forward, so lost in anger that he doesn't recognize the place he's about to damage. I spring to my feet and rush forward as fast as I can, stepping in front of Fuu and bracing myself, my hands outreached.

When Choji slams into me, I'm surprised as how _heavy_ he is. I know this is part of his technique, but _still_!

But he is not heavy enough for me to be crushed. I can still pick him up. I can still throw him a far enough distance so he doesn't wreck the memorial. I have spent years honing my strength.

Despite my arms screaming in pain, I lift Choji and throw him over the memorial, over the garden, and he crashed into the sea of grass, bouncing a couple of times before the jutsu fails and he lands on the ground with a soft _thump_.

Fuu hugs me. "You saved me again!"

I just _look_ at her. "I've saved you from nothing. We're settling this with Choji, once and for all. You're the one who made the mistake here, Fuu."

Fuu's eyes widen. "B-But-"

"Choji is wrong, too, in that he decided that violence was the first thing he should do. But _you_ made the initial mistake, Fuu. You stole something that belonged to him, and you devoured it on him," I reply. "You're going to apologize, and you're going to pay Choji back for what you took from him."

"Huh." Fuu just sighs. "So this is what being lectured by a mother feels like."

"I've had plenty of practice," I reply. I grab Fuu by the arm and begin dragging her to where Choji lays.

"H-Hey! Let go of me!" Fuu cries. She tries to struggle, but I'm much stronger than she is. She can barely slow me down.

"You're apologizing _now_," I say. "And that's final."

Fuu sighs, but she stops resisting. Choji, for his part, is groaning on the ground.

"I never met anyone who could stop me, much less lift me, other than my parents," Choji groans as he looks at me from the ground.

"That's not the point. I was protecting the Hokage memorial. This could have been a _lot_ worse," I say. There's a sundial nearby, and I look at it, to discover it's already two o'clock. Naruto and Anko and their team are having their meeting with Hiruzen right now.

Damn it. What do I . . .?

I have to be responsible. I took it upon myself to stop this feud. And I'm going to finish maintaining my garden. I'll just try to see if I can catch them on the way out. Or I can at least talk to Hiruzen about their mission. Maybe if it's not as far away as I think it is, maybe I can just let Anko and Naruto go.

"Choji, what you did is irresponsible and irrational. I am reporting this to Asuma-sensei if he isn't already aware of it. He can decide your punishment for this."

Choji just laughs nervously in response, and I turn towards Fuu. "And _you_ will stop antagonizing Choji, you will replace the snacks you ate, _and_ you will apologize for everything you've said and done _before_ he apologizes to you."

"W-What?" Fuu asks, her eyes wide. Clearly stunned. She really doesn't think she's in the wrong here.

"You stole from him, Fuu. You don't steal from friends or allies. That is wrong. Same with calling him names. They've been nice enough to let you train with them. Is this how you repay them, by eating Choji's food and calling him names and causing chaos all over town?"

Fuu just looks down.

"_Now_ you get it."

"Yeah," Fuu says softly. She looks past me, towards Choji. "I'm sorry for calling you 'fat' and eating your food. I should have asked whether they belonged to you before I ate them, and I should've listened to Shikamaru when he was trying to warn me. I need to apologize to him as well."

Choji smiles. "Well then. That makes me happy. Buy me my snacks now. Barbecue-flavored, preferably."

"Ugh," Fuu moans.

"Choji, you're forgetting something _very_ important," I say.

"Oh, right. Duh. Sorry for trying to squish you flat and . . . I guess I deserve whatever Asuma does to me for almost wrecking the memorial. I let my temper get the best of me."

"There," I say. "Now I'm going to go back to my garden. You two get out of here. I'll be reporting this to Asuma-sensei _and_ to the Hokage. You both did something incredibly wrong, but if you're sincere in your apologies, hopefully neither of you will be punished _too_ bad."

"All right," Fuu says softly.

With a sigh, I let Fuu go and walk away. I hope that some part of this lesson resonated with her. I understand she hasn't had many friends, but-

"I still think you need to lose some weight, Choji."

"_GRRR_! I do not!"

"What? I didn't call you fat! Why're you getting mad again?"

On second thought, Fuu might be hopeless.

* * *

It took about an hour to keep Fuu and Choji from trying to kill each other. It helped, mildly, that Ino and Shikamaru, both completely exhausted and beside themselves with annoyance, both showed up to offer more personal perspectives than I could. I'm not sure whether Fuu actually learned her lesson, or simply learned that when she was in trouble it would be best to say what others want to hear. I don't know her well enough to know which way she's leaning.

I just hope Fuu keeps herself from getting killed while I'm away. Her comment, "_So this is what being lectured by a mother feels like_", says a lot about what her life was like. I'm sure Shibuki and his family had played some kind of familial role, but maybe Fuu wasn't disciplined enough to really feel like a member of their family. Maybe more like a family friend. But that's different, than, say, how Anko is with my family.

Or maybe Fuu closed herself off enough to not let anyone play that maternal or paternal figure in her life. I don't know. I think I'm going to find out before she makes her Chuunin Exam attempt in a few months.

When I knock on Hiruzen's door, he immediately answers. "Come in."

I open the door, to see Hiruzen staring out the windows surrounding his office. It looks like he's accomplished everything he's meant to do today. Everything is clean, neat, and organized. Ready for the next day of requests to organize, and missions to delegate.

Hiruzen has always been like this. Neatly organized. At the end of every day, he has hours to relax and attend to his hobbies, or simply be lost in thought. Minato tried to model his style on Hiruzen's, but he had a tendency to procrastinate doing things he didn't like, so there were occasions where he'd spent long nights in the Hokage's office. He was cutting down on that after we realized I was pregnant with Naruto, though.

"I assume you are here to ask about where Team 7 has been deployed, Kushina," Hiruzen says.

"No, Lord Hokage," I say, which is actually the truth. I had come here for a different purpose. "But since you said so, I will ask. I had heard it was someplace _cold_. The Land of Iron, perhaps?"

"Good guess. But no. It's the Land of Iron's neighbor, the Land of Snow," Hiruzen replies.

The Land of Snow was even further away than the Land of Iron, and could only be reached by sea unless you were willing to traverse the majority of the continent and weather a mountain range inbetween it and the Land of Iron.

"Why a land so far?" I ask.

"I don't believe there's anything _too_ dangerous. I don't have much intelligence on the Land of Snow, but the person they are escorting to that land is named Yukie Fujikaze."

I don't attend many plays, but even _I_ know who she is. I attended one of her performances two years ago.

"She's one of the most famous stage actresses in the entire continent," I say. "She's the one who created the 'Method acting' style, isn't she?"

"Yes. Her ability to transform into her role and _become_ it on the stage is legendary," Hiruzen replies. "The play she is concluding in three days is called 'The Orchestra of Midnight', she plays the young empress Katsura."

"The Orchestra of Midnight" is one of the most popular works of literature released in the last few years. It follows a cruel yet brilliant young empress who has brutally subjugated a rival country. While touring the conquered land, she falls in love with one of those rival country's samurai, named Hiroshi, who has been taken as a prisoner of war. Despite Hiroshi being the nephew of the leader of the rival country's guerrilla resistance, Katsura, the empress, is taken by his natural kindness and precocious wisdom and slowly begins to realize how barbaric she has been.

The ending is a tragic one. Katsura finally can't stand to see her lover in chains and frees him, taking him to a performance by the titular orchestra and promising to mend relations between the two nations once and for all. But the guards catch wind of Hiroshi's breakout, and tracks them down to the orchestra performance, and when they try to kill him, they instead murder Katsura when she throws herself in front of their blades. Hiroshi is sent into a rage where he murders all of the guards, and after holding a dying Katsura in his arms, he kills himself as well. Katsura's country falls into complete disarray with the news of her death, and the guerrillas annihilate the occupying forces, but can't prevent either country from falling into chaos and desolation. Katsura goes down in history as a genocidal psychopath who is ultimately responsible for the land's destruction, and Hiroshi as the hero who seduced and murdered her.

It is a novel of destroyed hope. If the play has much in common with the novel, Yukie Fujikaze would have to put on a truly soul-searing performance. I have seen Yukie act before, as an elegant yet fierce lady _ronin_ in a different play, and she had been exceptionally convincing in that role. I'm not sure I want to see such a tragic story play out with her as the lead.

"So is she returning to the Land of Snow to perform a different play?" I ask.

"No. The Land of Snow is her homeland. She is taking a sabbatical from acting but wishes to be protected until she arrives home. She is wealthy and famous and is fearful of being robbed or assaulted," Hiruzen replies.

"I see." On paper, it doesn't sound so difficult, I feel a little bit better. But still . . . just reaching the Land of Snow is a two-week journey, on foot _and_ sea. Naruto will be gone for an entire month at the very least.

That's a long time for him to be away from Konoha, to be away from people who can keep him safe. If the Akatsuki catch wind of this . . .

I don't have much of a choice.

"I'm glad you did not pick a risky C-rank for Naruto," I say. "But I was not here to inquire about that."

"Oh?" Hiruzen turns around. "Then what have you come here for?"

"I have done five A-ranked missions since rescuing Fuu two-and-a-half months ago," I say. "I was going to ask for a month-long vacation from missions."

"I see," Hiruzen fiddles with the pipe on his mouth. "Well then. You haven't taken a vacation since you returned to Konoha four years ago. I suppose I'll grant it."

"Thank you, Lord Hokage." I bow to him. "Your kindness is most appreciated." "Mmm." Hiruzen sounds enigmatic all of a sudden, which is making me nervous.

I turn around to leave, and then Hiruzen speaks. "Try not to let Naruto catch you following him."

Oh yeah. He knows what I'm up to.

I feel like an embarrassed little girl in front of this man. Not even the Red-Hot Habanero. Just an embarrassed young girl who has done something asinine and is way out of her league.

"You saw through it, huh?" I ask.

"You don't have even the thinnest of veils masking your motivations," Hiruzen replies. "But I understand your concern. You are letting your heart guide you, like other parents have in the past. You are not the first to ask me such a request before. I have let other parents go, and I will allow you to do the same. But I suggest you pack your winter clothing. It is called the 'Land of Snow' for a reason, Kushina."

"I will, Lord Hokage. Thank you very much," I say. "I will see you later."

"I expect I shall," Hiruzen says. "Good luck trying to catch them, by the way. They have already left the village."

I smile at him. "Who are you talking to?"

Hiruzen just sighs. "If you're going to follow them, do so, before their trail goes cold. And be careful. Konoha is more vulnerable without you than with you."

"I understand, Lord Hokage. Goodbye."

"Farewell, Kushina."

I leave then, and shut the door behind me.

I have some catching up to do.


	20. Three Stops

Valentine's Day present from yours truly. Another chapter will go up tomorrow as scheduled, thanks to Hurry Up no Jutsu.

the shippers: I will not discuss shipping or who ends up with who. Chances are I'm going to anger people regardless. The plot and character growth will dictate who ends up with who, not my personal preferences (full disclosure: I am a Naruto/Sakura shipper . . . and it's pretty clear NaruSaku isn't going to happen here XD).

Guest: Sakura will appear at the very end of the Snow arc. And I'm sorry you feel that way about Naruto, but he is NOT a loser, and he'll have a chance to prove it.

Everyone else: Thank you for continuing to read and enjoy this fic. Unfortunately I'm short on time but I wanted to post this while it was still daylight my time.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty: Three Stops**

I'm not ready to leave _just_ yet. This house is going to be unoccupied for an entire month. Thank the heavens we don't own any pets . . . though most of that is because pets tend to _despise _me. Dogs, cats, rabbits, it doesn't matter what the pet animal is, they all hate me with equal vengeance.

I am sure it's because they can sense the Nine-Tailed Fox inside me. That's a consequence I wasn't aware of when I accepted the Nine-Tails. It's not a huge issue for me, but, in a way, it's kinda sad that I can't adopt a pet animal or even try to rescue any of the strays in the village because they are viciously, universally, hostile to me.

After gathering my winter clothes and packing them up, I also grab the rations I have stored for missions, and discover that if I'm going to be packing for a whole month on the road, I need to empty my stockpile. A couple of seconds pass as I wonder if it's worth it, and then I decide my son _is_ worth it. I may pay for it financially later, but for the peace of mind that Naruto is going to be okay on a C-ranked mission, it's worth it.

I also make sure to grab some rope. I'm not going to have Yamato and his house-building technique on my side for this one. I'm going to need to tie myself to a tree so I don't fall off when I'm sleeping. I'm not going to have the comforts of a cot and sleeping on the ground.

It doesn't matter that I'm an S-class jonin. Sleeping alone on the ground is _stupid_. You can't get a good rest because you know you're vulnerable, and if you do wind up falling into a deep sleep out of exhaustion, you could wind up being accosted, easily.

I'm not going to let Naruto know I'm following him, so it's either sleep in a tree or sleep on the ground alone like an idiot. I choose the tree.

Finally, I draw a seal on my left hand. It's my best approximation of one of Minato's seals, the Teleportation Barrier. If something _really_ vicious comes flying at Naruto or anyone else and I have to step in, this seal will allow me to re-direct the attack and literally teleport it elsewhere. I'm going to need to maintain the seal; even though I'm staining my hand with permanent ink, the ink does fade with time and enough hand-washings. I'll have no choice but to retrace it to make sure it can work when I need it.

I'm not the most ambidextrous individual, my strong hand for combat is my right hand. It doesn't matter. It's asinine for me to draw the seal on my right hand because I may need to hold a weapon with that hand, and holding a weapon may mean that I can't activate the seal on-demand. There's just some things you need to be good at with your weak hand when you're a ninja. You need to make that weak hand the _dominant_ hand in something important to ensure versatility. In this case, it's activating a defensive seal that could save someone's life in case this C-rank goes out of control.

After I draw the seal, I put a fingerless glove over my left hand to both protect the seal and also hide the fact that I have it. A glove like this is a giveaway that I have _some_ sort of seal, but the seal on my palm can tell an opponent the _exact_ seal I have. With the glove on, there's a mystery as to what kind of seal I have, and that may make a difference . . . or allow me to call one _hell_ of a bluff.

You never know when it'll be useful to pretend that you can blow up everything in the vicinity.

With that settled, I throw my pack over my shoulder, go outside, lock the doors and then put on a seal that will both ensnare _and_ humiliate anyone thinking of breaking in. I've thought of everything, it will activate anywhere in the house. Let's put it this way: anyone who breaks into _my_ house will face something so terrible and will feel such total embarrassment they will have nightmares about it for years.

I have to please my inner Red-Hot Habanero somehow.

I walk away from my house, and begin walking towards the village gates. I'm going to take a roundabout way, I _do_ need to talk to Asuma Sarutobi before I go. I meant it when I said I was going to report Fuu and Choji's fight to Asuma. It's evening, and the vendors are putting away their wares, and the sun is setting in the distance. The chances of being harassed are smaller in the evening than they are in the morning.

Luckily, I see him hanging around outside his own small home, smoking a cigarette. I don't need to try to track him down.

"Asuma, how are you?" I ask as I walk up to him.

"Huh? Oh, Kushina. Not often you come up and talk to me," Asuma says as he takes his cigarette out of his mouth.

I find Asuma's cigarette habit disgusting, that's why I don't talk to him very much. He's not a bad man, but I find tobacco to be hideous, you get addicted to it and start developing coughs and overall wreck your health. Ultimately I don't want Naruto picking up the habit, which is why I keep him away from Asuma. I just hope that none of Asuma's students pick up the habit either.

It's not my place to lecture Asuma about it, though. He's an adult. This is his choice.

"Well, I broke up a fight between one of your students, Choji Akimichi, and our visitor from the Waterfall Village, Fuu."

"Oh. Shikamaru already told me about that. I've already prescribed Choji's punishment. He's going to be taking care of your memorial garden, as well as maintain the memorial itself, for the next week," Asuma replies.

That's . . . rather surprising to hear. "Really?"

"Yes. Don't worry, I've watched you maintain it. I'll make sure Choji doesn't mess it up," Asuma says. "But I'm hoping it'll teach him to respect property more. The village is lucky Choji did not cause a lot of damage."

"Choji is lucky he didn't damage the memorial," I reply.

Asuma chuckles. "True."

He looks at me. "Looks like you're preparing for a journey."

"I asked your father for permission to take a month-long vacation," I reply.

Asuma gives me a knowing look, and I realize he sees right through me too. "Really. I just happened to hear that Naruto has embarked on a long journey himself that may take up to a month to complete. How coincidental."

I can't help but sigh. Both Sarutobi men see right through me. I wouldn't be surprised if Hiruzen's grandson, Konohamaru, can see through me too. Not that my motivations aren't obvious.

"Okay, I admit it. I'm concerned about Naruto, and I'm just going to follow him and make sure he's okay. If he can handle a C-rank without my help, I'll have some peace of mind."

That's partially a lie. I'm always going to be nervous when Naruto does a C-rank. As long as those Akatsuki are out there, ready to grab my son so they can lure me into a trap, I will be. Anko's talented, but she is far from the strongest jonin in Konoha.

Hiruzen told me she scraped by when she was tested to become jonin-class. Even after Hiruzen ultimately passed her he still tried to turn her towards _tokubetsu jonin_, which is jonin-level in a specific specialty. Hiruzen just was not sure if Anko, despite technically passing the jonin test, was really experienced or talented enough to be a full-fledged jonin.

Anko will sacrifice her life to protect my son. That I am sure of. What I'm worried about is that Anko will die and Naruto will be captured anyway.

But if Naruto can show that he can handle a C-rank, and if the Akatsuki stay away from him, that'll lower my nervousness. Just a little.

"I see. I can understand that. You're just not sure if they're ready to make that step. My students are not ready yet themselves. They don't mesh together as a team very well, I am still trying to work out their personality conflicts. On a skill standpoint, they _are_ ready," Asuma replies.

"How are you going to work out their differences?" I ask.

"They need to work it out themselves," Asuma replies. "I can help, but ultimately, it's up to them whether they can co-exist together in order to benefit the team."

"How'd they pass your test, then?" I ask.

Asuma grins as he puts the cigarette back in his mouth. "Oh, they _do_ work together. But it's more of a begrudging thing."

He exhales, and I want to cover my nose before that disgusting tobacco smoke wafts up my nostrils. It's impolite to do that though. Again, Asuma is not a bad person. Speaking of begrudging, I can't do that to him just because of a bad habit.

I just let the smoke vanish before I breathe, or speak again. I just hope the smoke isn't perforating my clothing too much. The smell of cigarettes can give your position away easily.

"You want to make sure they're protecting each other for the right reasons, and not just because you told them to," I reply.

"You got it," Asuma says.

"I can agree with that," I reply. "Anyway, I'm glad you have everything sorted out. Good luck to you when you start that C-ranked mission, whenever that will be."

"Thank you. Good luck to you with spying on your kid," Asuma says with a chuckle.

"I'm gonna need it," I reply, and I wave to him as I walk away. He waves back, which makes me smile. I honestly feel a little bit better.

I should talk to Asuma more often, his smoking habit and all. I need to have more friends. All I have are acquaintances in Konoha other than Anko, Mikoto and Hiruzen. I need more people I can count on than that. Especially as Mikoto still worries me.

I pause in the middle of my stride. I guess I should visit Mikoto too before I go. We've made up since our argument in Taki, but she and I haven't talked much to each other since then. Maybe I can even invite her to come along. She deserves to know what I'm doing, at least.

So instead of continuing forward, I make a left, heading towards Mikoto's residence.

* * *

"Thank you for the offer, but no, Kushina. I'm going to stay on duty. I'm not worried about Sasuke's safety at all."

I'm not surprised by Mikoto's answer, but at the same time, it's kind of saddening to hear. It makes me feel like I'm overreacting by following Naruto to the Land of Snow and back. Even though, thanks to the Akatsuki, I'm really not. At least, _I_ don't think so.

"I'm just saying. The Akatsuki are dangerous, Mikoto. Sure, we beat them in Taki, but Sasuke and Naruto aren't anywhere near our level. I just . . . I just want to make sure that the Akatsuki aren't going to do anything to them," I say.

"Personally, I think you're overreacting," Mikoto says. "The Akatsuki _are_ after you, Kushina."

I didn't think of it that way before. "What do you mean, Mikoto?"

"If I were the Akatsuki, now that you know what our original plan for you was, I wouldn't go after Naruto at all. It's pointless. I'll assume you're following him, and you'll be on guard, which will make a surprise attack, something essential for ensnaring a powerful jinchuuriki, borderline impossible. I'd go after you while you're off on an ordinary mission, while Naruto's nice and safe inside Konoha. You wouldn't see it coming."

What Mikoto is saying makes sense, up to a point. But she's missing a crucial point in her argument. "Whether I see them coming or not, if they get their hands on Naruto, it doesn't matter. I'll do anything to save my son, Mikoto."

"You don't value your own life?" Mikoto asks.

Is she _trying_ to start a fight now? "Mikoto, of course I do. But Naruto's life is something I value more. Even if it means he's alone all over again, even if it means I die-"

Mikoto just shakes her head. "What is it?" I ask.

"You are _not_ an ordinary mother. Look at the big picture, Kushina!"

"_What_ big picture?" I ask.

"You haven't figured this out? The Akatsuki are after _all_ of the jinchuuriki. Whatever it is they want for all of you, they want you all _alive_. They need you, probably to _use_ you. And if they get all of you, which I assume what their plan is, well . . ."

"You're saying that my own well-being should come before Naruto's," I say.

"You staying out of the Akatsuki's hands could wind up deciding whether our world remains the way it is or _changes_," Mikoto says. "Like it or not, Kushina, but if you're captured and used for their purposes, and the world _changes_, Naruto likely won't have long to live. Nor will the rest of us."

There's a cold, analytical logic to what Mikoto is saying to me. The Akatsuki are a grave threat, and it stands to reason that Mikoto is right on them needing to take _all_ of the jinchuuriki. Obviously, if I'm captured, and used with the rest of the jinchuuriki for whatever the Akatsuki's plan is, a lot of people are going to die. And the ninja who reside in the hidden villages would be on the front lines. It would be a _fourth_ Shinobi World War.

And Naruto, as he stands right now as a genin, he wouldn't have much of a chance to come out of a war alive.

But choosing to sacrifice my son? Doesn't Mikoto understand how impossible of a choice that is? She's a mother herself! Why does she think I'm different than anyone else? That I am the only one who has to choose _herself_ over her son when it comes to survival?

It's a choice I just plain cannot make. If the Akatsuki need me alive, I'd rather just die and wreck their entire plan. As long as Naruto lives, and the Akatsuki can't execute their plan without me, that'a preferable to allowing my son to die.

"I understand what you're saying, Mikoto," I say. "But what you are saying is something I just can't do."

"Kushina-"

I am not going to listen to her cold words anymore. "I will not sacrifice my son for any reason, Mikoto. You would not sacrifice Sasuke in order to stay alive. None of the other mothers inside Konoha would sacrifice their children for their own survival. Why, for once in my life, can't I be held to the same standard as everyone else? Why is _my_ son the only one that's expendable?"

"I'm just trying to protect you, Kushina!" Mikoto pleads.

"I don't need protecting!" I shout. "I am an S-class jonin! I protect others! I have enough power inside me to level the entire Land of Fire if I have to! If the Akatsuki want me, they can come get me! They'll regret it! _Especially_ if they decide to use Naruto against me! Count on it!"

Mikoto's eyes widen, and then she relaxes with a sigh. A small smile creeps onto her face. "There's our old Red-Hot Habanero talking. Every time I think she's dead, you keep proving she's still alive."

Is she _trying_ to patronize me? "Are you saying I'm being unreasonable?" I ask.

"I'm not going to say anything more about this, Kushina," Mikoto says softly. "It's clear what your decision is, and will always be."

She chuckles. "I admire your spirit, Kushina. I always have, and I always will. If there's anyone in the world who can have it both ways, it is you. You have enough determination and fire to pull it off."

"I don't know whether you're complimenting me or insulting me," I say. "But don't _ever_ tell me to put myself before Naruto ever again. I spent eight years of my life putting _myself_ ahead of my son, and it's something I will never forgive myself for. And it's something I'm never going to do again."

Mikoto nods. "I understand, Kushina. I just wanted to warn you, that's all. Now you should get going. The longer you keep talking to me, the farther Naruto and the others are going to get. It'll be difficult to catch them if you wait to leave Konoha for much longer."

Even though a part of me no longer wants Mikoto with me, I still need to do this. She is still my friend. And I'd gladly wait the extra time for her to get ready to depart with me. Even though Mikoto is becoming colder, and more calculating, I have to keep reaching out to her. I need to keep reminding her of what it's like to be . . . well, _human_.

"Are you _sure_ you do not want to come with me, Mikoto? Last offer. I'll wait for you however long you need."

Mikoto shakes her head. "I'm sorry, Kushina, but no. In any case, if they get in over their heads, you're more than enough to protect them. I'd just be redundant."

"All right," I say. "Then I'll get going. See you in a month, Mikoto."

As I turn to walk away, Mikoto says "Goodbye, Kushina."

I make it about a block before I realize that I never waved to Mikoto. I look back, and Mikoto's no longer there.

I wonder, for just a second, if I'll ever see Mikoto again.

Then I shake it off, turn back around, and keep walking.

* * *

I race through the trees. It's something I've become particularly adept at, I spent six years living in a forest, after all. I know I'm going to make up a lot of ground as long as there's forests on the path. I might even catch them if they choose to stop at the first town on the trail. That town has ways west, north, and south, and the northward trail would be important to take if they're going to the Land of Snow by ship. That's what I'm going to assume they're going to do if I don't catch them in the town.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata may have all learned how to climb trees, but they're nowhere near good enough at tree-running to do it for long, if at all. Anko will have them walking on the trail. Ultimately, I'm going two, three times as fast as they are. I _will_ catch them eventually, even with their three, four hours of a head start.

My eyes are my guidance. I can twist and turn my body in the directions they need to go, and I can adjust my chakra to allow me to get the perfect landing anytime. It's automatic at this point. My body's gotten so used to charging through tree branches that I just don't make mistakes in the forest. Even with the weight on my back.

After about two hours of constant, breakneck charging, I finally decide to stop. I grab a branch with my hands and flip myself to the top of the branch, and I gasp for breath. Even with chakra helping my endurance and my breathing, you can only keep sprinting at top speed for so long, even if you're at an S-class. I pull out one of the bottles of water I have in my pack and take a drink from it. I'll just rest for five or ten minutes, then I'll start charging through the forest again.

That's when I hear a voice, off in the distance.

"We're letting them get too far away!"

"Shush! We haven't worked out our ambush plan yet! Keep it down!"

Those voices sound . . . _familiar_.

I set my pack down on the branch, leaning it against the stem of the tree, and then carefully leap in the direction of the voices. Sounds like a little ambush party. Are they brigands? Robbers? And who are they after?

Right as I see them, one of the _three_ conspirators wind up revealing their identities to me anyway. "Damn it, Hisame, are you sure this is such a good idea? They're protected by a _jonin_."

That is definitely Murasame's gruff, moderately growling voice.

Oh great. It's _them_. Suien's three stooges. They weren't found among the prisoners we took in Taki.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm the smart one of you three? You two are just manmeat who do what you're told," Hisame snaps.

Kirisame speaks next. "Um, well, you _did_ have a concussion from that battle against Kushina Uzumaki. We have the right to question your intelligence."

A swift _whack_. "Ow!"

"My facilities are perfectly aligned, Kirisame! There's nothing for you to question!"

"'My facilities are perfectly aligned'?" Murasame asks. "What kinda sentence is _that_? That pretty much _proves_ your concussion was bad!"

"Silence!"

_Whack_. "Gah-ow!"

This would be amusing if it wasn't pretty clear that they're thinking of ambushing Naruto and the others. At least, that's what I can understand so far.

Hisame clears her throat. "Now listen up. This is something we _absolutely_ must do. Kushina Uzumaki ruined our reputation with the way she dismantled the three of us in Taki. This is for vengeance, you three! And that jonin is scarcely older than a child herself! She won't be able to stop us from getting our hands on Kushina's son!"

Oh? Thinking of murdering Naruto, you three?

"I don't know if this is such a good idea," Kirisame mumbles. "I mean, if we do this, I know Kushina Uzumaki is gonna hunt us down and kill us. You know she will."

"She won't hunt us down," Hisame says. "We're ninjas. We _disappear_."

Oh, I'll make you three "disappear", all right. You three idiots have no idea how out of your league you are.

I quietly, slowly, climb down the tree and sneak up behind them. They're crouched behind a bush close to the trail. Anko, Naruto, and the others are not in sight.

They haven't heard me. Not yet. Hisame, the brown-haired woman in the middle, is still giving out instructions, instructions that she does not know are futile.

"There's that fork in the road down a mile away from here. They'll be reaching that in about twenty minutes, but we're going to get there first. That's when we will strike. It's a vulnerable position, we can easily get them from behind."

How ironic. That's how I'm going to get _them_, from behind. Well, other than Hisame. She's facing me, but she doesn't know that yet.

Kirisame is starting to get into it, though. "I think the shy-looking girl's on the left. She'd be the easiest to run through to snag the blonde brat."

"Good thinking. Murasame, since your Water Whip is _special_, you make sure the young jonin is all nice and tied up. I . . ." She pauses.

She has an inkling she's being watched. Oh, well. Our confrontation might be moderately amusing this way.

I step out of the shadows and look at them, and Kirisame and Murasame turn to look at me and their eyes grow so wide it's like they'll pop out of their sockets.

I can't help but smile in some sort of odd, cheery deviousness. "Hi there! What'cha doin'?"

"_GAAAAAAAAAAAH!_ It's Kushina Uzumaki!" Kirisame and Murasame shriek in unison as they hug each other, crushing Hisame inbetween them.

Fools. They've made this _way_ too easy. "Chakra Chains Technique!"

My chains wrap around them and then crush the three together. They all make choked, gagging sounds, especially Hisame who is being thoroughly sandwiched between the two bigger men _and_ my chains.

"So, you three thought that murdering my son was a good idea. Still think so?"

"I-It was all _her_ idea," Murasame manages.

"T-Traitor!" Hisame squeaks.

They're scared of me. They are legitimately scared to death of me. I almost want to laugh.

But laughing won't help. I need to make them so terrified they will never consider going near Naruto again . . . or _me_. Laughing is counter-productive.

"I'm only going to tell you three imbeciles once. _Stay away from my son_. If you want revenge, try to take it out on me . . . if you _dare_. Lay one finger on one hair of my son and you will be thankful if you're still breathing. You idiots comprehend that, or so I have to make these chains tighter?"

I tighten the chains just to prove my point, and the three of them make strained noises. Hisame's face is turning blue, I think she's having trouble breathing.

"Y-Yes!" Kirisame gags.

"Yes to 'chains tighter' or yes, 'you get it'?" I ask, squeezing them just a tad more.

"We get it, we get it!" the three of them gasp.

"Good. Now go think about your lives while you're airborne."

"Wait, what?" Murasame asks.

Too late.

I take my chains and throw the three of them high in the air, out over the trail and ultimately to the other side of the forest.

"_WAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!_" is the general sound they make as they fly out of sight, before presumably crashing to the ground.

I deactivate my chains and sigh. Despite them threatening my son, I actually feel better. It's like they relieved some of the nervous energy in me.

And hopefully those three learned their lesson. While this was _mildly_ diverting, I don't want to see them ever again. Hopefully I've scared them enough that they won't seek out a confrontation with me, whether against me directly or through my son.

Still, they had proved helpful in one way. I've gained a lot of ground on Naruto. In fact, I've almost caught up. This little diversion cost me a few minutes, but it ultimately doesn't mean anything. If I move it, I'll catch them right as they reach the "fork in the road" that the three Ame missing-nin spoke of, and then it's smooth going from there.

At least until the ship. I haven't worked out how I'm going to sneak onboard yet.

But ultimately, I'm moving forward. I can't ask for anything better than that. Especially after Mikoto . . .

No. I won't worry about Mikoto. If I start worrying about her now, I won't have a moment of peace on my journey.

After all, this is a so-called "vacation". It's not a vacation if I can't relax for even a moment.

I jump back into the trees. As appealing as relaxation is right now, it's something I can't do. Not until I catch up. Not until Naruto's safety is guaranteed.

Not until I know that I can live my own life and Naruto can live his . . .


	21. Yukie

All right, another chapter, on its regular schedule.

Riku Uzumaki: Very, very true. Especially when you're talking to Kushina Uzumaki who has a very powerful demon inside her and you're just a chuunin. You're basically screwed. XD

dracoholo117: Certainly.

Fayneir: Naruto does not know the Shadow Clones or the Rasengan right now. As for Kushina vs. Pein, that is a LONG time away, but this Kushina is stronger than she showed in canon. She'd give Pein a good fight, that's all I'll say. She is an S-ranked jonin here, that is nothing to sneeze at. She is NOT as strong as Jiraiya though, so that probably answers your question as to whether she'd best Pein in a fight. She certainly can't take Pein & Konan fighting together for sure (though Kushina vs. Konan would be amusing just because they share the same English VA, Dorothy Elias-Fahn. I'm always amused with a VA fighting his/herself even in clearly theoretical/fictional instances XD).

Trubeque: You have no idea how accurate your statement is. Kekekeke . . .

Anyway, now time for someone completely different.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-One: Yukie**

There's something out there. Or _someone_.

I can't tell who or _what_ it is. I can't track it. But I have this vague sense, somehow, some way, that someone is out here, in this very forest. Watching me. Looking right at me.

And yet, I can't see it.

"Hey, what'cha doin' up there, Sasuke?"

I look down at the ground below me. There's Anko-sensei, hands on her hips, looking pretty curious. I can't believe she can't sense what I'm sensing. She _has_ to know that someone is watching us. I mean, if _I_ can, surely she would be capable of recognizing it as well?

"I think someone's following us, Anko-sensei," I say. It's gotten easier for me to address her as "Anko-sensei" over the last couple of months, after entire years knowing her as just plain "Anko".

"You think so?" Anko-sensei looks in the direction I am, and then sighs. "Probably. I have that vague sense too. I wouldn't worry about it, though."

"You sure?" I ask.

Anko-sensei chuckles. "I know who it is. It's a concerned parent keeping an eye on us, an eye on _me_. It's not that uncommon, actually, for a parent to shadow a genin team on its first C-ranked mission. They just want to make sure their child is safe and that the jonin in charge of them has everything under control."

"That simple, huh?" I ask. I don't know if I should think so or not, but Anko-sensei _is_ the one in charge. I should trust her. If I can't trust her, there's no one left to trust at all. That's one of the lessons Mother taught to me years ago.

"Pretty much," Anko-sensei says. She always has this smile on her face. It's mischievous yet caring, pretty difficult for me to describe as a whole. But I know this: she is _always_ learning and trying to improve herself. A lot of jonin get complacent in some things. She never does.

Complacency gets you killed. That's something I understand all too well.

"Now come on, get down from there," Anko-sensei says, clapping her hands. That's something I've learned as _hop to it_. "We gotta get going. The town's pretty close by. We'll be in it within a half-hour."

"All right, Anko-sensei. As long as you're sure it's okay," I say.

"Everything's fine. Trust me." Anko-sensei does another of her mannerisms, this time a thumbs-up with a big wide grin on her face. "Besides, don't you want to see our client's final show for possibly ever?"

"Wait, we're going to attend her last performance, Anko-sensei?" I ask.

"Well, if there's still tickets left," Anko says. "I bet they're probably sold out. But I think it'll be fun if there's tickets left and we don't have to pay a scalper to get in. We don't get to go out and see many plays"

That is also true. We also don't get to read many books that don't have to do with the ninja lifestyle, either. That would be nice, taking a break in a theater, watching someone perform a play on the stage. It'd be a good way to judge Yukie Fujikaze, too. See if she is really the acting sensation we were told by the Hokage she is.

"All right." I jump down from the tree and land in a crouched position, letting my chakra flow through my feet and legs like Anko-sensei spent all this time teaching me. I don't want to break my legs from a fall. I've already broken an arm from a fall a couple of weeks ago that had to be treated by the medical-nin. Breaking something out here would wreck the mission. That wouldn't be a good way of starting a C-rank at all.

"Let's go then, Anko-sensei. The faster we move, the more likely we'll make it there," I say.

"That's right. You're starting to get it, Sasuke," Anko-sensei replies.

She begins walking down the trail back towards Naruto and Hinata, and I take one last look behind me. I don't see or hear anything. Then again, our parents are all jonin. Naruto's mother, Hinata's father, and finally, my own mother. It could be any of them, or _all_ of them, following us. I can't imagine it being _all_ of them, though. That would just be extremely embarrassing. It's like telling us we don't know how to do anything right.

In a way, I almost hope it's Mother, even though Naruto won't pass up the opportunity to make fun of me. She's seen so little of me. I'd like to show her what I can do right out in the field. That way Mother won't doubt me ever again.

But, somehow, I don't think it's Mother. She's been a jonin for less time than Anko-sensei. It's someone else. Probably Hinata's father or Naruto's mother. They'd be the ones _really_ good at hiding.

Well, I'll just keep my eyes open, in case this turns out to be something _much_ worse.

If there's anything I've learned, it's that things can and _do_ get worse.

* * *

I don't like death scenes.

Even from far away in the nosebleed seats. I can't stand them. All I see is four years ago all over again. All I see is Naruto bleeding on the chair in the shack Mizuki threw him in. All I see is the brief glimpse of Itachi looming over my head before I see crows and then I see _nothing_.

I don't think Anko-sensei had any familiarity with the book this play is based on. Neither did I. But now I wish I did. I wish I had known was the "Orchestra of Midnight" was truly about. It is, at its core, a tragedy, a senseless tragedy that crushes the hope of any peace or any government of the two nations squaring off against each other. It was avoidable. Preventable. And yet, it has just happened. Empress Katsura is dying in Hiroshi's arms.

Yukie Fujikaze is everything she was advertised to be. Even from here, in the back of the auditorium, her voice carries even though she seems like she's speaking so softly. The voice of a dying young woman, murdered by her own soldiers by total accident.

"H-Hiroshi . . ."

The man playing her beloved trembles. "Katsura. Katsura, I'm right here. Hold on."

"Hiroshi . . . I . . . I didn't get a chance to change _anything_ . . . I didn't have a chance to redeem myself . . . to try to m-make your people . . . f-forgive me . . ."

"That's not true. Katsura, that's not true. I'm going to get help. I _will_ get help."

"T-There is no h-help for me, Hiroshi . . . my destiny is hell. H-Hell is what I-I deserve . . . for what I-I've done. I e-enslaved your people . . . s-slaughtered them . . ."

I can't look anymore. Ms. Fujikaze is doing a really good job of imitating a dying person. It's like it's happening in front of my eyes. I just look away, my arms covering my head. I want to cover my ears but somehow I just _can't_. Her voice is just that resonant. It sears through you.

To make matters worse, the music, which had been playing in the background throughout the whole play's duration, has completely shut off. Not a single instrument is playing. It's Katsura's voice, unfiltered and raw, taking over the stage without the backing of a single musical chord.

"Katsura! That's not true! You changed! You _did_! You were going to make it right! You can't just die on me! On our countries!" the male actors yells.

"H-Hiroshi . . . e-everything . . . was just too late for me. Y-You were right about me, Hiroshi. Y-You were a-always right, my love . . ."

Silence. But I can still hear Ms. Fujikaze breathing desperately, haltingly, like her body is finally failing her.

Stop.

Stop it all.

Make it stop.

All I can see are the corpses of my clan laying in front of Itachi. All I can see is Mother the day she killed a burglar in our house . . . she had killed without a single hint of emotion on her face. All I can see is the death of so many people.

I cover my ears. I can't listen to it anymore. I can't listen to this woman die in front of me on the stage. I know it's just a play. In my heart, in my head, I _know_ it is just a play. It's a story. Fiction. But it reminds me of so much. Far too much.

I can't deal with it.

Just make it go away. Make it _all_ go away.

A soft hand suddenly touches my back and makes my hairs stand on end. It takes me a moment to realize that it's not an enemy. An enemy would've just stabbed me in the back or grabbed my neck and slit my throat.

I turn around, and I see Anko-sensei. "Sasuke, are you all right?"

I want to talk, but my throat just won't work.

Anko-sensei smiles at me, kindly, gently. "I'm sorry, Sasuke. I didn't know it was going to end like that . . . or that it would affect you in this way. C'mon. Let's get you out of here. We're going to wait for Yukie around back."

"I'm sorry," I croak as I get up. Anko-sensei's arm goes around my shoulders. I feel pathetic but I don't throw her arm away. I honestly need it right now. After being reminded of so much death, so much blood, all it caused by people I love and consider part of my family, I just need to hear that I'm okay. That I won't turn out like the members of my family.

"There's nothing to be sorry about, Sasuke," Anko says. "Really. Nothing to feel sorry over. This is my fault for not researching the play beforehand. I'm the one who should apologize to _you_."

She walks me out of the auditorium and I see Naruto and Hinata sitting outside, and the both of them look shaky as well.

"You're crying too, huh?" I ask Naruto.

"I'm not crying!" Naruto replies.

"Yes, you are," I say, looking at my teammate's moist blue eyes as I speak.

"W-Well . . . these are _manly_ tears, Sasuke!"

"Manly" tears. I haven't heard of _that_ term before. Must have been something Naruto made up.

"N-Naruto . . . it's okay. Everyone is crying, not just you," Hinata says in her soft, quiet voice.

"W-Well . . ." Naruto just sighs and rubs his eyes. "I'm gonna stop crying first! Believe it!"

Anko-sensei just sighs. "Naruto, it's okay. You don't need to defend yourself over this one, all right? What we should be doing is going around back and meeting with Yukie . . . well, after we're all okay. Doesn't that make sense, everyone?"

"Yes," Hinata says, speaking for all of us with that word.

I take a deep breath and let it out, and rub my eyes. No new tears appear. Okay. I'm going to be all right. I am just going to stay _far_ away from anything related to "The Orchestra of Midnight" from now on. It just reminds me too much of the hopelessness I felt when my clan was destroyed.

It reminds me of when I woke up the morning after, and seeing Mother staring into space with cold, distant eyes. That's when I knew Mother was _different_, and my world had changed, permanently.

That's when I knew that Father and everyone else had truly died that night, that I had not dreamt what I had seen of the massacre. That I had not dreamt of Itachi, and the crows that flew around him, that flew towards _me_, taking me out of the world until I woke up on a hospital bed.

At the same time, I know I have to get stronger. Mother is right about one thing: I am the only person capable of restoring the clan. I can't do that if I stay weak, and I just let myself fall apart over a fictional play. I can't let that happen anymore. If I do, Anko-sensei will start worrying about me, and so will the rest of the team.

"I'm ready," I say. "Let's go find Ms. Fujikaze."

* * *

Yukie Fujikaze out of costume looks like a fairly normal woman. She _is_ pretty though, even in a fairly simple dark blue traveling kimono. She looks a bit younger than she did on that stage as well. I don't know if she wore some kind of special makeup or performed a transformation technique to appear older, or was just that _good_ at pretending to be older, but it was a bit of a shock. Ms. Fujikaze ultimately doesn't looks much older than Anko-sensei.

"So you are the ninja from Konoha, correct?" Ms. Fujikaze's voice is higher-pitched than it was on the stage as well. She sounds more down to earth, yet more polite, than she was in her role as Katsura.

"Yes, we are, Ms. Fujikaze. My name is Anko Mitarashi, jonin of Konoha, and these are my genin, junior ninja. Their names are Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Hinata Hyuga," Anko-sensei says, mimicking Ms. Fujikaze's polite tone, even bowing towards the woman.

Ms. Fujikaze chuckles. "You don't need to be so formal with me. You can just call me 'Yukie' if you wish."

"All right, 'Yukie'," Anko-sensei says, looking considerably more comfortable all of a sudden. "When do you want to leave? I assume you want to head to the Land of Snow fairly quickly."

"Tomorrow morning. I need to say goodbye to the staff and to my fellow actors. Without them I wouldn't have a play to perform or even a stage to stand on," Yukie says. "I owe them all a huge debt."

I can hear Naruto grumbling something. He does this a lot when he finds something suspicious. I don't think he likes Yukie very much. Sadly, he probably has a good reason not to like her. Naruto has this gift of knowing when something is off that the rest of us don't really have.

"That'll work for us. But I _would_ like to begin our escort duties if you won't mind," Anko-sensei says.

"I have no problem with that," Yukie says.

"What the heck is going on out there? What's taking ya so long, Yukie?" shouts a young girl's voice from inside the small house we're standing next to.

"I'm just talking to the ninja we hired to protect us, Nanako. That's all." "Ninja? The cool Konoha ninja you were tellin' me about?" The door slams open and suddenly we're face to face with a girl who looks like she's maybe six or seven years old.

She has brown eyes and short brown hair in a bowl cut. She stares us, and then squints, and then scoffs. "_These_ are the ninja you hired, Yukie? They don't look like ninja to me. Especially the short one with the dumb look on his face."

Naruto laughs. "What're you talkin' about, kid? Who's the short one with the dumb look on his . . ."

He looks at me, then at Hinata. I suddenly realize that Naruto _is_ shorter than either Hinata or I.

That means that it'll hit Naruto in five, four, three, two . . .

Just as Naruto lunges at Nanako, Anko-sensei grabs him. "_I'm gonna demolish you! Who're you callin' short? I'm taller than you are, shrimp! I'm gonna squish you like a bug_!" Naruto shouts as he struggles in Anko-sensei's arms.

"You don't 'demolish' the client, Naruto," Anko-sensei says. "That's not how it works."

Anko-sensei seems somewhat calm in this moment. When she turned out to be my sensei, I was worried. And if _I_ was worried, Mother was both terrified _and_ enraged. Neither of us thought that Anko-sensei had what it takes to be a jonin, an elite ninja. Particularly in the maturity department.

But Anko-sensei, instead of joining Naruto like I would expect her to, since they have this 'soul sibling' relationship, she is actually holding Naruto _back_. Maybe Anko-sensei's more grown up than Mother or I expected.

Nanako just laughs. "You barely have control of him! What kinda jonin are _you_? You look just as dumb as the short one!"

Anko-sensei glares at Nanako. "_What_?" she asks dangerously.

"'Duh, like, I'm so totally a jonin and stuff, 'cause I'm, like, awesome, ya know'," Nanako says, sounding like the most exaggerated idiot in the world. "_That's_ what ya sound like to _me_, stupidhead hag."

"_Why you little_!" Anko-sensei snarls, looking like she's about to burst a blood vessel.

"Hinata! Help! Now!" I shout, and I run over to Anko-sensei and grab her as _she_ is about to lunge at Nanako.

Anko-sensei is _strong_. Very strong. Even with Hinata grabbing onto Anko-sensei with me, we can barely keep her from ripping Nanako's head off. It already feels like my arms and feet are being pushed to their limits by trying to hold Anko-sensei back.

"_Who're you callin' a hag, you snot-nosed brat? Who the hell do you think I am? I oughta give you a good spanking_!" Anko-sensei shouts as she tries to break free from Hinata and I.

"Nanako, stop," Yukie says firmly.

Anko-sensei relaxes as she hears Yukie's words, and I let go and fall to the ground. That took almost everything I had to hold Anko-sensei back.

Guess I spoke too soon regarding Anko-sensei's maturity. If it's Mother who's watching us, I bet she already wants to intervene and take our team over.

Yukie glares at Nanako. "You don't insult the people I hired to protect us. I am sure they are perfectly competent."

"They are _so_ not. Not if I can annoy them this easily," Nanako replies, and she sticks out her tongue at us.

"Why does she have to be so rude?" Hinata asks me.

"Probably because she's being entertained by our reactions. That's what usually happens with brats like her. They just want the attention."

Nanako laughs. "And _you_ must be the know-it-all, pretty boy! Why do you-"

Yukie's voice drops in register and picks up a throaty sound, and now she sounds like Empress Katsura at the beginning of the "Orchestra of Midnight". Completely, utterly, _menacing_. "Nanako. That is enough. You're going too far."

Every word she speaks makes it sound like she's going to end Nanako's world right then and there. Her voice is trembling with a dark power. I am sure she is acting right now, but this "act" is _really_ convincing.

Nanako makes an "irk" noise as she turns to Yukie. "Please don't use that voice! It's creepy!"

"Be nice to them," Yukie says, albeit in a nicer tone. "That's an order. I am paying them good money and I'm not having you derail everything."

Nanako sighs, and then she folds her arm and makes an "hmmph" noise. "Well, I don't want to hang around them right now! So there!"

She walks inside the house and slams the door shut.

Yukie sighs. Her voice, and her mannerisms, return to the way they were before. "I apologize for Nanako. She is my sister. She has had a harsh and lonely life, and she doesn't trust anyone other than me."

"I should apologize as well," Anko-sensei says, adjusting her flak jacket as she speaks. "I should be setting a better example than that. I shouldn't have let Nanako get to me like she did. I've blown your first impression of us, haven't I?"

"It's all right, Anko Mitarashi," Yukie says. "I was told that all of you would be young. But I trust Konoha. They have a sterling reputation. I know they would not send incompetents to guard me."

She is being pretty forgiving for a client who just witnessed her little sister getting under the skin of the bodyguards she hired. Maybe Naruto is right with his suspicious mumbling.

"So you're not worried at all?" I ask.

Yukie smiles at us. "Of course not. This is something Nanako always does. I have seen even the calmest and wisest of people crack under Nanako's insults."

On one hand, that explains a lot. But Naruto is still grumbling behind me. He doesn't like Yukie's answer one bit.

Anko-sensei laughs and scratches the back of her head, which I've noticed seems to be her nervous tic when she's embarrassed. "Well, that makes me feel a little better. Thanks."

Yukie nods. "I'm glad. Now please, come inside. You are free to rest inside for the night before we depart tomorrow."

"Thank you very much," Anko-sensei replies.

Yukie walks inside and closes the door, and Anko-sensei sighs in relief. "Well, our client doesn't seem to be too bad so far, right? Let's go inside. Keep everything organized and neat, though. I don't want to make a mess. And don't let Nanako get under your skin, Naruto."

"Why're you just talkin' to me about that? You blew up too!" Naruto whines.

"_I_ will not let that girl get under my skin again. _You_, I don't know," Anko-sensei replies.

Naruto folds his arms and looks away and grumbles something.

"_Naruto_-"

"All right, all right! I get it!"

"Good," Anko-sensei says. "Now come on. We shouldn't insult our client's generosity and stay out here for much longer."

"Right, Anko-sensei," Hinata says, and she and Anko go inside.

Anko holds the door open for us. "Something wrong, Sasuke?"

"I'd like to speak with Naruto for a second before we go in. It's okay. We'll be right there," I reply.

Anko shrugs. "All righty then. Just don't take too long. Refusing something generous like this for too long is insulting to many people. See you both inside."

She walks away, and the door shuts on its own.

Naruto gives me a weird look. "What'cha want to talk to me about?"

"You were grumbling something when Yukie was talking to us. What is it?" I ask.

"I don't know. Something just feels _weird_ 'bout her, ya know? I almost want to say she's putting on an act, but she's a good actress too. I mean, you saw how she went all dark and evil with that brat of a sister she has. We _know_ that's an act . . . or is it?"

"You're saying that Yukie is putting on an act right now?" I ask.

"I don't know. Maybe more like she's hidin' something. Argh, now you're getting me confused!" Naruto grumbles.

"Well, keep watching her," I say. "I'll watch her too. If something looks _really_ wrong to you, tell me. If we agree on it, we'll go to Anko-sensei about it."

"If there's something wrong about this, Anko already knows about it. Believe it," Naruto replies.

"Well, if we notice it too, then we can come up with a plan on how to deal with it than leave Anko-sensei to figure it out on her own," I reply.

"Oh. Right," Naruto replies. "I knew that."

You did not, Naruto. That kind of lie is pathetic. What makes you who you are is your brutal honesty. That's what we all need to hear.

Still, calling Naruto out on it is just going to start a fight, and that's not something I or Anko-sensei want. "Fine. Now let's go in before anybody gets suspicious in there."

"'Kay, sounds good to me." Naruto walks up to the door and opens it wide for me. "Ladies first, 'pretty boy'."

Naruto doesn't like how Nanako insults him, yet he doesn't think a second thought about insulting me in turn. What have I ever done to get on Naruto's nerves? I've never understood that.

Mother tells me to just ignore Naruto because I'm too good for him, but that doesn't feel right either. I know there's a reason why Naruto acts the way he does. And I know there's something about me that just annoys him, too.

"You should think twice before insulting me," I say. "Remember, I came to _you_ for help just now. Learn how to be a teammate, Naruto."

"I'm just ribbin' ya, Sasuke! Gimme a break," Naruto replies.

"You didn't find what Nanako said to you 'just ribbin', Naruto," I say in turn.

"Aww." Naruto hangs his head.

I can't help but smile. At least Naruto doesn't have as much vicious intent behind his insults. That's something Nanako has already shown me. Things could be a _lot_ worse.

Like, say, if Yukie Fujikaze is deceiving us in some small way . . .

* * *

Aw snap, Sasuke POV!

Let's face it, this arc would be boring and hard to follow if I stuck with Kushina for the whole way. So enjoy a little bit of Sasuke's POV. Keep in mind this Sasuke has NOT been tortured by Itachi and he still has his mother, so he's a nicer guy than he is in canon.


	22. Cloaked Past

Sorry about the weird posting time, I could not get on the PC to save my life earlier.

Riku Uzumaki: Part of the reason why I didn't do that was because of the surprise factor.

Guest: I think that's something a lot of people forget too. Sasuke was not originally a cold, angry person. He was a sweet-natured kid who got screwed up by seeing his clan and family massacred by his big brother and then got an epic mind-raping from his big brother as well. Even if you take his clan away, if his mother is still alive and Itachi didn't screw with Sasuke, he'd be nowhere as cold and revenge-driven, or so was my thought process. I admit that I'd like to see more "nice Sasuke" type of stories.

Wes: One of my regrets about this fic is that Naruto isn't as Naruto-y as I'd like him to be. There is an in-story reason for why he isn't as Naruto-y as he should be, and it's not because of Kushina "fixing things for him". But I didn't think Naruto should just be automatically awesome either just because his mother popped back into his life. He doesn't have the Nine-Tailed Fox's power. He's not going to be as strong out of the gate, plus . . . well, to say more would spoil some revelations that are going to come out soon.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Cloaked Past**

_Sasuke Uchiha_

Anko-sensei has been in better moods.

"I'm gonna strangle her," she says, in some edgy, crazed voice that brings to mind demonic possession. "I'm gonna strangle her, her eyes are gonna pop out of her sockets, and it's gonna feel _good_."

I think we're all approaching that point. Four days with Nanako Fujikaze generally being the most obnoxious brat in the entire world is enough to drive anyone insane. How can Yukie put up with her? And how much longer before one of us winds up snapping?

It won't be me. I will _not_ let it be me. I'm not going to stop the person who _does_ snap, though.

"I didn't know anyone could be this annoying," Naruto grumbles.

"I wonder if something happened to her in her childhood," Hinata says.

"I don't care what happened to her in her childhood," Naruto replies. "I just want her to stop."

"Haha!" Nanako laughs from up the trail. "Nanako is winning! You ninja are stupidheads! Beaten by a kid like me! What kinda ninja lose to a little girl?"

She sticks her tongue out at us and makes a face.

Yukie glares at Nanako. "So help me, Nanako."

"Aw, come on."

"_Nanako_, I will _not_ let you cost us this."

This is the only way we get any relief from this tiny terror that assaults us day and night. Yukie puts her foot down, and Nanako shuts up for a while. But she _always_ starts up again, and it just seems worse than before.

"Fine, Yukie. I don't get to have any fun."

Yukie sighs. "Your idea of fun is other people's ideas of _torture_, Nanako. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

"Then I say nothing. That's boring!" Nanako says.

Yukie stops and bends down at Nanako's level. The terrifying Yukie reminisicent of Empress Katsura at her most evil re-emerges. "I _will not tolerate_ this behavior out of you anymore, Nanako. You keep this up I _will_ make sure you are silent for the remainder of this trip and you will _not_ like it one bit."

Nanako stares. Then tears form in her eyes. "Please . . . please don't do that to me. Not again. N-Not again."

"The 'not again' scares me," Hinata says softly.

I wonder what Nanako is referring to by the "not again", too. Yukie may be a civilian, but ninjutsu and seals can be performed by civilians. It's been done, and it's more common than ninja like to admit. Yukie may be able to silence Nanako using a ninjutsu or seal.

Yukie's tone and face soften, but only a bit. "Then stop driving our protectors crazy. Leave them alone, Nanako. It's not a good idea to alienate the people who are trying to protect you."

"What's 'alienate' mean?" Nanako asks.

Yukie's palm smacks her forehead in annoyance. "I mean stop annoying and angering them, Nanako."

"Then why don't you just say that instead of . . . alaynmight?"

Now it's _Yukie's_ turn to look like she's about to snap. "Nanako. No more talking. Now. Zip it."

"Aww." But Nanako, after putting on a pouting face and folding her arms, and glaring at us all one more time, finally turns around and keeps walking down the trail with a "Hmmph."

"Please tell me it's finally over," Anko-sensei moans.

Yukie stands back up, and she's returned to her usual self. "I apologize. I know you must be sick of hearing my apologies. I have not done a good job of raising her, I'm afraid."

"No kidding," Naruto grumbles, and promptly gets slapped on the back of the head by Anko-sensei. "Ow!"

Anko-sensei sighs and walks up to Yukie. "I know you have to be trying your best. I bet it's hard."

Yukie smiles. "I'm only twenty-two. It has been."

"Twenty-two?" Anko-sensei stares in shock. "Empress Katsura is thirty-one years old! How did you . . .?"

Yukie smiles. "The same way I have become many women older than me, or a teenage girl. I become my character."

"How? Do you use some sort of transformation technique?" Anko asks.

"Not exactly." Yukie sighs. "It's a matter of how I dress, what I do with my posture, with my hair, with my voice. I study my character and then I _become_ her. If she is going to be strong, a fighter, then I build up my body and study how she fights and _learn_ it. If she's in poverty and on the borderline of starving to death, then I starve myself and become skin and bones. Her feelings and her emotions and her _being_ become my own. I don't break character until the curtain is closed for the night."

That sounds _involved_. And brutal. And overdoing it. And a million other things.

She smiles again. "My transformation techniques aren't really transformation techniques. What they do is accelerate the way my body changes when I become my character. I build or lose muscle faster, grow hair or nails faster, I can even manipulate my height a little. What would take months takes a week or two to look the part."

She points to her throat. "My voice is what I'm particularly proud of. No techniques at all. Just practice and training."

"Would ya stop braggin' about yourself? Or I'm gonna keep talkin'!" Nanako shouts from up ahead.

"I'm not bragging, I'm telling them how I look the part of a fifteen year old or thirty year old!" Yukie shouts back. "They have a right to know! And do I need to remind you of your punishment if you keep insulting everybody?"

"Argh, can we just get goin'?" Nanako whines.

Personally, I want to know what Yukie's "punishment" is. And why Nanako is so afraid of it. I am sure it is more than just grounding her, or even beyond taping her mouth shut or something.

Perhaps sensing that's what one of us were about to ask, Yukie changes the subject. "To answer your first question, I have not had parents since Nanako was a baby. The Land of Snow has had some turmoil in recent years. I fled to the Land of Fire as a refugee and began acting to make ends meet."

"Oh, I get it," Anko-sensei replies. "Now this is starting to make sense."

"I can give you more of the details when we camp for the night. Let's see if we can't make any more progress before we do that, though. We're a day or so off from the port, I'd like to make it a half-day if we can." Yukie turns around then and begins walking away.

"I'm not buyin' what she's saying. She's hiding something," Naruto says. He has enough awareness to keep his voice down, thankfully. I guess Ms. Uzumaki's influence matters in some small way.

"You think so, Naruto?" Hinata asks.

"I _know_ so. Somethin' ain't adding up and I wanna know what that is," Naruto says.

"No kidding. I have a feeling why she's not wanting to talk about this right now is because she wants to spend a couple of hours making stuff up in her head or distorting the truth," Anko-sensei replies. "And she'll make it convincing. You all saw how good of an actress she is."

"What should we do?" Hinata asks.

Anko-sensei looks at her with a confident smile. "We continue protecting the client. I'll figure out some way to make our conversation tonight _interesting_."

She turns back around. "Now, before they get too far ahead. Let's not talk about this anymore. Let me take the lead on this one."

She jogs off, and we follow her until we catch up to Yukie and a thankfully-silent Nanako.

For once, I can't wait until nightfall.

* * *

Anko-sensei doesn't like making fires when we're around a client. It makes sense. Smoke is an alien smell in the forest. It reveals that there's _people_ nearby. If someone with evil intent is trying to stalk us, that campfire will draw them in close rapidly.

Still, on the fourth night of cold rations and water, I could go for some meat. I know why Anko-sensei's edict has been made, but I know I could go out there and hunt a couple of squirrels or a deer or something and bring us a hot, filling dinner, as opposed to our rather bland rations.

Naruto, for once, agrees with me on something. "This crap is getting on my nerves. I've gotten so used to Mom's cooking and takeout that this stuff is like . . . like . . ."

"Tasteless?" Hinata finishes.

"Right! Tasteless! I demand taste in my food!" Naruto says.

"We're not making fires right now," Anko-sensei says. "When we arrive in the Land of Snow, I'll permit fires by necessity. How cold can it get there, Yukie? Ten, twenty below?"

"Yes," Yukie replies without a moment's hesitation.

In Konoha, while we do get some snow, the temperature usually doesn't fall below zero. Bad years is when we fall below twenty degrees. And that feels _cold_ to me. I can't imagine what ten or twenty degrees below zero feels like. And I don't like that I'm going to find out.

"Why is it so cold up there?" Hinata asks.

Yukie sighs. "We really only have two seasons in the Land of Snow. Summer and winter. Our seasons run opposite to yours. When it is summer here, it is winter up there. However, even our summers can be cold. Fifty, sixty degrees are often the highs. So much of the land is nothing but mountains and tundra. The only forests we have are filled with hardy conifers."

"Sounds like a tropical paradise," Naruto groans.

"You get used to it if you have lived there your whole life," Yukie replies. "We used to be a fairly proud nation filled with technological development. That's how we made money. But, six years ago, that all ended when Doto Kazahana led a coup against the ruler of the Land of Snow, Sosetsu Kazahana, Doto's brother."

Yukie folds her hands in front of us. "What Doto did was hire _ninja_ to dispose of Sosetsu and his entire family. The Land of Snow was one of the last places to have the traditional samurai class, and our samurai could not prevent the coup against Sosetsu. The land fell into chaos, and many people fled the country, including myself and an infant Nanako."

"So why do you want to go back? It seems like the Land of Snow is in the hands of a less-than-savory person," Anko-sensei asks.

"It is my home, that's why," Yukie says.

Mother tells me that I need to listen to conversations like I have a Sharingan for them. Search for hidden meanings. Search for anything that could not be the truth or just be a story. Here, I don't think I need one. "It is my home" is _not_ a good excuse if she is going to be walking into danger.

Anko-sensei agrees with me. "I don't understand."

"The Land of Snow is my homeland. I've heard things have stabilized recently, so I am returning home. It is the land where my parents lived, where all of my friends lived and still live."

Yukie just shakes her head. "I know you don't understand the call of your homeland. You've never experienced exile. I hope you never do. But I have to see if I can build a livelihood in the land of my parents and ancestors. If not, I can always return to the Land of Fire and begin acting again. But I have to try. I can't live with myself if I don't try."

"I understand," Anko-sensei replies. "I just want to make sure you know the risk."

"I know the risks perfectly fine," Yukie says. "Thank you for your concern."

"It just seems to me that we are possibly walking into a war here," Anko-sensei replies. "That is something my genin are not ready for yet."

Yukie shakes her head and chuckles. "Don't worry about it. The Land of Snow has never been hostile to the Land of Fire. And I am just a civilian, and you are ninja protecting me. We shouldn't have any trouble before we arrive at our destination."

"I'm making sure, that's all," Anko-sensei replies. "This 'Doto Kazahana' just doesn't sound like good news."

"He has no quarrel with a civilian like me. Or with anyone else. After all, the ports remain open for us to cross the sea," Yukie says. "Everything is fine."

"All right, Yukie. Thanks," Anko says.

Yukie just nods. "Thank you for understanding."

After that, Yukie withdraws herself from us, eats some peanuts and a rice ball, and goes to bed with a long-asleep Nanako.

She is definitely hiding something. What it is I don't know. She _has_ been able to disguise her true motives. That's something she's been successful in.

But now what? There's not enough here to call her out on her reasons. Anko-sensei just tried, but she was shot down immediately. Yukie is not going to let herself be boxed in by us. She is an intelligent woman, and she has probably had a part or two in conspiracies over the years. She knows when people are probing her.

I just don't know what to do. I glance at Anko, and she shakes her head slightly in dismay. I don't think she knows what to do either.

When your sensei, a jonin, is at a loss of what to do, that is _bad_. I don't need the Sharingan or Mother's lectures to tell me that.

So, what do we do? Nothing?

That seems to be the only answer.

And, as Mother likes to say, "nothing" is the worst answer you can possible give.

Naruto is out like a light soon after Yukie turns in, and it's just Anko-sensei, Hinata, and myself who are awake.

This is how watch is typically set up. Anko-sensei and me at first, then Hinata and Naruto get woken up in the middle of the night for second watch.

"Is Yukie truly asleep or is she faking it?" Anko-sensei suddenly asks. "Hinata, please check."

"Okay. Byakugan," Hinata says softly.

Seconds pass.

"Her chakra levels suggest she's asleep, Anko-sensei," Hinata replies. "They match Naruto's and Nanako's."

"All right," Anko-sensei says with a sigh. "Can you both come here?"

Being quiet isn't hard, especially when I'm not far away from Anko-sensei to begin with.

"Yes, Anko-sensei?" Hinata asks.

"I need to ask you both for your honest opinion on something. Do you think Yukie is lying to us?" Anko-sensei asks. "If so, is this mission worth continuing? I'm not going to ask Naruto this, I already know his answers."

"One, yes, he believes Yukie is lying to us, and two, he's gonna finish the mission because that's what a ninja does," I reply.

"Exactly," Anko says with a small smile. "I want you two to go first before I tell you what I think. Please, whatever's in your minds. Go."

Hinata just goes "Um." I guess I'll be the one who's going first.

This is going to be difficult. Even though chances are high that Yukie is lying to us, I can't detect anything viciousness or evil about her. No killing intent. This means Yukie is hiding something not out of the intent to murder us or anyone else. She has a different reason than that. But what could it be?

I should at least say _something_. Anko-sensei is being nice enough to let us have our say. Not every jonin does that. If I want my opinion to be valued in the future, I need to speak up.

In fact, she's _counting_ on me to speak up. She basically considers me her second-in-command.

"Well, on one hand, what she's saying makes sense. She fled war, the war is over, she wants to go home and see if she can make a living. Even the reason why she would hire us makes sense. Yukie is one of the most popular stage actresses in the Land of Fire. She's worried about brigands and robbers attacking her while she's returning home. War-stricken places are filled with those types," I say.

"Go on," Anko-sensei says with a nod.

"When you put everything together, there's no holes. Yukie Fujikaze is a civilian with no political or military background. Ninja aren't going to have anything to do with her. That's why she paid for a C-rank as opposed to a B-rank, which an actress of her stature could probably afford. But there is one problem, that is assuming Yukie _doesn't_ have a political or military background."

"That's what I was thinking. You're following so far, Hinata?" Anko-sensei asks.

"Yes, Anko-sensei. I guess what Sasuke is saying makes sense," Hinata replies.

"All right. Now that you two get it, I'll be frank. I don't think Yukie is telling us the whole story here. While I failed to do my research on the play 'Orchestra of Midnight', I did _not_ screw up on the Land of Snow."

Anko-sensei pauses, then bites her lips before continuing. "What Yukie is saying is right. There was a revolution. Sosetsu Kazahana was overthrown. Doto Kazahana took over the government. That was six years ago. But what happened during that coup is a complete _mystery_, but apparently it was horrific."

She looks past us, towards Yukie. "The Land of Snow shut down its borders for a period of five years. Scarcely any refugees got out. And yet here we are, guiding a refugee who is heading back to her homeland, despite the real fact that the Land of Snow has only recently re-opened its borders. So why now? Especially when she's developed a strong, successful acting career? Why abandon it? She never told us why, other than the vague 'homeland' reason."

Now I get it. "You're saying that Yukie's going back under duress."

"Yes. I think Yukie is being threatened and has no choice but to go back. It's probably a hostage situation or extortion scheme with brigands holding family or friends prisoner or something like that. In that case, we are in for a fight, one that may involve people dying."

Hinata shivers slightly, then settles down. I'm not sure she's ready for a fight.

I know that Naruto is _too_ ready for a fight. He's been spoiling for one. This kind of situation is what he _wants_. There isn't going to be any boredom out of _this_ mission, that's for sure.

"What I want to ask you two is this: under the possibility that we've been lied to, and we're going to be asked to do something not in our job description, will the either of you still be willing to finish this mission out? Even with the possibility of there being death?"

The smarter decision would be to back out. We were not hired to take care of a hostage situation or anything like that. At the same time, there's no guarantees that's what's going on here. And Mother would be furious at me over backing out just because of the mission parameters being different. How can I restore the Uchiha Clan if I run away from saving hostages? What kind of future clan leader am I if I do that?

Mother would be right in saying that to me. I am the only hope of bringing our clan back. Mother's made it clear she will never re-marry or have another child. It's all on me. I have to try to pull this off no matter how bad it gets.

"I say we keep going."

Anko-sensei nods. "And you, Hinata?"

"I-If Naruto and Sasuke are okay with it, Anko-sensei, I am too. I'll keep going too," Hinata replies.

"All right, it's settled." But Anko-sensei holds up her hands. She's clearly not done yet.

"I am not your sensei just to watch you all get killed. I reserve the right to change my mind and force us all to go home. I'm just warning you both now in case I have to do this," Anko-sensei replies.

"I get it," I say.

Anko-sensei smiles then. Anko-sensei has many smiles, from the mischievous one to the cheerful, fun-loving one to the embarrassed lopsided grin. But this smile is different from all the others. It's warmer, calmer. In these moments she truly is our sensei, filled with a maturity suiting one.

"One more question. Do either of you think I favor Naruto over either of you?"

"Of course not!" Hinata almost reflexively replies.

It takes me a moment to think about it. Anko-sensei has definitely tried to play fair. If anything, it's _Hinata_ who's received the most attention from Anko-sensei. Not that Naruto and I have been neglected, but Anko-sensei seems to think that Hinata needs the most work out of the three of us.

"No, you don't," I say, but I can't help but look at Hinata, who appears embarrassed.

"I just wanted to ask. Your well-being means a lot to me. If you feel you need anything from me at all, or a problem with the way I'm doing things, please speak up. I'm not going to punish you for speaking your mind to me."

After that, she looks at Hinata. "Please go get some rest, Hinata. You're doing second watch with Naruto again."

"Um . . . okay," Hinata says with a nod.

"You're doing fine, Hinata. Really. Just sleep," Anko replies.

"I . . . I will, Anko-sensei," Hinata replies.

As Hinata walks away, Anko-sensei sits next to me. "I wish I could do something about her lack of confidence. I just can't make it any better."

You're asking _me_ on how to help Hinata, Anko-sensei? Or is this just something rhetorical?

"She needs to know she is worth something but she can't be convinced by us telling her so. She needs to prove it to herself," I say.

"I agree." Anko-sensei puts her arm around my shoulder, which makes my heart race. Normal jonin don't do this with their genin. I can just imagine Mother erupting into rage and grabbing Anko-sensei by the neck and thoroughly wringing it for daring to touch me.

It takes a moment to realize this is platonic, and I calm down. Still . . . she is _not_ an ordinary sensei. She's _unique_.

"You do a much better job of hiding your feelings than your teammates do, Sasuke. But please, if there's anything you're worried about, if you need any advice or are just feeling down, I'm here for you," Anko says.

"Thanks," is all I can say. To be honest, I'm regretting falling apart in the auditorium. I showed weakness there. The only consolation is that _everybody else_ showed weakness too so at least I don't seem more vulnerable than anyone else. But Anko-sensei, being an adult, just _sees_ things.

Anko-sensei chuckles softly, lightly. "All right, let's get the 'watch' thing underway. You keep an eye on the main road. I'll worry about the forest. You see anything, you have your clicker on you, right?"

Another unorthodox tactic by Anko-sensei. She handed us all children's toys before we left Konoha. They're simple clicker toys, they make sounds not unlike a cricket chirping. Anko-sensei thinks that these toys can be a good way of signaling each other when we're separated and need to call for help but have no way of talking without giving away our position.

"Yeah, I have it," I say.

"You remember the code, right?" Anko-sensei asks.

"Once if I just want to touch base. Two if I suspect something's wrong. Three if there's imminent danger," I say.

Anko-sensei nods. "Good. I'll come and get you in five hours. Then it is _our_ turn to sleep. Just remember I'm close by, okay?"

"I will, Anko-sensei."

"Thank you. You're doing good so far, Sasuke." Anko-sensei slowly walks into the woods, presumably to find a lookout position, leaving me the road.

This is the fourth night in a row I've done this. I was nervous the first time, but now, that uneasy edge has gone away some. Repetition has a way of getting rid of fear, especially of uncertainty. That may have been Anko-sensei's plan. Get us into a routine, make us less fearful of the unknown.

I can't be afraid. My father was never afraid. And neither is my mother. The only coward is Itachi, for murdering our clan in cold blood, and then _running away_. I will not end up like Itachi, a person I almost pity more than hate. And I won't end up like Mother either, increasingly withdrawing from the world.

I'm going to face everything head-on and beat it. That's how Anko-sensei does things. That's how Naruto does things. There's something about that straightforward thought process that I really like. It's brutally simple.

I put my hand in my holster, ready to pull out a kunai or shuriken if necessary, and I wait.

Wait for either an opponent, or for Anko-sensei to tell me I'm done for the night.

I feel ready for either thing.

* * *

I admit that this Anko isn't like how Anko is usually portrayed, but there's a reason why she's gentler and mellower in this fic. Just be patient until you find out why, and I hope you like mellowed-out Anko.


	23. Innocent Subterfuge

Chapter 23, at a more reasonable hour!

dracoholo117: I admit that part of the motivation behind this fic was to portray Anko in a different light than she's usually portrayed in fanfiction. It's like a "What if Anko learned empathy?" type of thing going on here. I also wanted to contrast Anko and Naruto's personalities a bit, in ways they'd work in perfect synergy, but in other ways they could clash.

mugu: Glad to hear you enjoying the early chapters! I was worried they were a bit too somber for people. But that wasn't Itachi who died in chapter 4. Somebody else acted as a true shinobi . . .

Trubeque: Thank you! I'm really glad you enjoy this take on Sasuke!

Riku Uzumaki: We'll soon see. We all know this mission is gonna go wrong. XD

Jake A Lara: The thing that concerned me is that Naruto isn't going to be some suddenly-good ninja just because he has people in his life now, especially with his formative years still spent alone. Combined with his hyperactive energy, he's still gonna have issues at the Academy. Plus . . . this Naruto has some emotional vulnerabilities in him too that's been hinted at but is going to start coming out in this arc, dating back to those formative years.

Anyway . . . chapter time.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Innocent Subterfuge**

_Kushina Uzumaki_

Well, so far, six days into this mission, no one has tried to kill Naruto, Anko, or anyone else. Well, other than Hisame and her stooges, but that was with the mission barely underway before they even met their client. Hisame, Murasame, and Kirisame have no connection to this mission. They were just out to kill Naruto. Hopefully the humiliation I gave them will keep them away for a long time. If not forever.

Naruto and his team weren't even aware Hisame was stalking them. That's how quickly I eliminated them.

Of course, now's when things are going to get risky, and dangerous. From my vantage point at the edge of the forest, I can see a town, and I see a fairly large dock. They're going to be traveling to the Land of Snow soon. I'm going to need to pick the right ship to stow away on, and make sure I do it in a way that doesn't involve anyone catching me.

A pretty big challenge. Not afraid to do it, though. There's nothing lethal here. I can do this.

I wouldn't be a very good ninja if I couldn't.

The moment they enter the town, I jump down from the trees and charge at a full sprint towards the town walls. This is _not_ a ninja village, this is a town full of civilians, and a company of the Land of Fire's ashigaru, stationed here to limit raids by brigands and gangs. Foot soldiers aren't going to be enough to keep me, an S-class jonin out of this town.

I'm not going to sneak into the town. Stealth is going to be important _after_ I make it inside. I'm temporarily going to lose sight of Anko and the others, but I know their destination. I just need to make it to the docks and then get on the same ship they choose.

When I approach the gates, I slow down to a casual walk, and force my breathing to be level. Typical ashigaru tend to be lazy. If you don't act suspicious and have a village headband on you, the ashigaru won't touch you, it's not worth the trouble. Ashigaru assume that ninja from the Fire Village have seriously important business to attend to, which is usually the truth.

Konoha is considered to be on an equal level with the Land of Fire's government. We are their special forces, and are allowed relative autonomy as long as we don't cause a war with another land. Konoha has developed many allies in many lands, beyond just Taki, the Village Hidden in the Waterfall. We are allies with Kuso, the Village Hidden in the Grass, Suna, the Village Hidden in the Sand, and Ame, the Village Hidden in the Rain. We are also on decent terms with Kumo the Village Hidden in the Cloud which is part of the Land of Lightning but they are such a great distance away we rarely cooperate with each other unless the situation calls for it.

This is going beyond any of those lands, though. This is going to the Land of Snow. It is beyond the Land of Lightning, the Land of Mist, or any of the other great shinobi nations. Even I, an experienced jonin, have not ventured to the Land of Snow. This is uncharted territory for me.

The closest I have come is a trip to the Land of Iron I had made when I was a freshly-minted jonin, helping the samurai of the Land of Iron out in a brushfire conflict. The Land of Iron, like the Land of Snow, has harsh, wintry weather, but it's usually warmer and there is a lot of conifer-filled forests in Iron despite it actually being located further to the north than the Land of Snow. You would think the Land of Snow would have less severe weather, but whatever the case, that is how the world works.

I walk past the ashigaru serving as guards, pull down my hood, and casually present my Leaf Village forehead protector at them. "I'm from Konoha, and I need to pass. I'm on sensitive business," I say.

"Sensitive business for _what_?" the guard asks.

"If I could tell you, it wouldn't be _sensitive_, would it?" I ask.

"Private, let her go. I've seen her before. She's from Konoha," barks the guard's superior. He looks older, in his thirties.

"R-Right, sir. You can go, ma'am," the guard says, bowing to me.

"Thank you." I wave at the older guard who had let me pass as well. The older guard just nods and then returns to his post next to the younger guard.

All right. That made things easier. And I wasn't lying either. What I _am_ doing is sensitive, just in ways that the guard never could fathom. That's the art of deception. Tell the truth, but word it in such a way that you make people believe it's something else. It's something you need to be good at as a shinobi or kunoichi or you're not going to live very long.

I throw up my cloak's hood to cover most of my head, and then slowly pick up my pace. Now I just need to worry about catching up to the others.

Who was the tallest among them? Anko or the woman, Yukie? I could've sworn it was Yukie, but she's not as distinctive as Anko is. Anko's violet hair, tied back into that wild ponytail, can be picked out in a crowd quite easily. Yukie's long, dark hair is far more typical of people in the Land of Fire.

Perhaps it doesn't even matter. All I need to do is make it to the docks. I saw where the docks were located from my vantage point just a short while ago.

Maybe I can even beat Anko and her group there. That would make things even easier.

I can't help but smile. The Red-Hot Habanero inside me _relishes_ this. I feel like a younger woman right now, full of energy and mischief. I wish I could feel better about that. Mischief is not my motivation here. It's my son and whether he's in danger.

I jump my way from roof to roof, manipulating my chakra to ensure a perfect landing every time, before I pivot and jump to my next target. People seem to have this curious tendency to _not _look up, even the ashigaru. Of course, it helps that I'm not trying to clear entire streets, which would attract attention since it's _broad daylight_. I'm mostly confining myself to alleys, taking a longer route across so I'm not spotted.

After navigating a seemingly endless maze, I find the docks, and I take cover behind a boathouse. I brought enough money to purchase a ticket, so I don't need to try to sneak onboard. There's several candidates in the harbor here. I just need to know which ship is being chosen.

I wait. And I wait.

What's taking them so long? I can't have beaten them here _this_ easily.

"This ain't gonna work, Anko. He or she will know we're coming"

"Anko-_sensei_, Naruto."

Their voices. They're right behind me!

Vanish. Vanish _now_!

I leap away from the boathouse and charge behind a seafood vendor's establishment, just as I see Anko and Naruto come into view, without the rest of the party.

"I don't see anybody suspicious, Anko," Naruto says.

"Anko-_sensei_," Anko replies, clearly annoyed that Naruto _still_ is not addressing her formally. Old habits die hard, Anko. Especially when you were Naruto's sister figure.

"C'mon. Can't I just call you 'Anko' while it's just the two of us? I don't wanna be formal."

"Naruto, I'm going to treat you the same as everyone else while we're working with Team 7, soul siblings or not. It's only fair to the others."

"What if I don't want to be fair? Especially to pretty boy Sasuke?"

Anko sighs. "Naruto, it doesn't work that way."

Pause. Then another sigh. "Looks like our follower decided to vanish. Probably heard us talking, so."

"Betcha it's Sasuke's mom. Only she would be lame enough to be followin' us around like we can't take care of ourselves," Naruto replies.

Gee, thanks, Naruto. That sure makes me feel better.

Anko chuckles. "Actually, if I were to take a guess, it would be that _your_ mom is following us, Naruto."

"_What_?" Naruto asks.

"And if it _is_ your mom, and she just heard ya, you know how badly you just hurt her feelings, Naruto?"

Anko . . . thank you. You really have become considerate, haven't you? Despite you blowing up at a seven-year-old girl, I can see your growing maturity. You understand why I have to do this.

There's a long silence. "I never thought that Mom would be the one following us," Naruto replies, his voice soft.

"Your mom loves you more than anything else, Naruto. If it is her, and I give it about a eighty-percent chance it's her, she is doing this because she wants to make sure you're safe. That everyone here is safe. That we can all handle a C-ranked mission without any problems," Anko replies.

"I don't need to be followed," Naruto says. "I can take care of myself."

"Well, you're gonna get your shot to prove it to your mom, won't you?" Anko replies.

"I didn't think I had to prove anything to her. I _passed_ the Academy _and_ passed your test. I bet it's because of Mizuki," Naruto replies. "It's because I wasn't strong enough to get away from Mizuki."

Naruto, you have no idea how much it's gone beyond Mizuki at this point. You're not aware how much is at stake here. If the Akatsuki grab you, you think that _Mizuki_ was a terrible ordeal? I can already tell from the Akatsuki they'd be much, much worse to you, Naruto.

If it was just people like Mizuki, I think I could handle it. Anko can handle that. Anko can't stop the Akatsuki by herself, though. Not if they decided, with all of their power, to grab you.

The only person who can protect you from them is me. Even if it means sacrificing myself for you.

"Your mom doesn't think you're too weak, Naruto," Anko replies. Her voice is just a bit edgier. I'm not sure that I like that. "I don't think it's because of Mizuki. It's because she loves you and just wants to make sure you're okay."

"You really think so, Anko?" Naruto asks. "I don't know. I just don't."

"Naruto, to be completely honest, you should be thankful that of all the people who could be following us, it is probably your mom. And you want to know why I think it's your mom, Naruto?"

"Why?" Naruto asks.

"Because your mom, and _only_ your mom, out of all of this team's parents, would go to the Land of Snow, and take a month out of her life in the process, to make sure you're okay. That is devotion, Naruto. That is love."

Anko . . . thank you. Thank you very much. Hearing that from you means a lot. You understand. You legitimately understand. Maybe this is really supposed to be your destiny after all.

Anko sighs. "I don't have parents. My mentor, who I thought could replace my parents, just used me as a subject for a cruel experiment that no one survived but me. I'm the one who ought to question the acts of people who care about me. Not you. You have someone who you can trust no matter what."

"Sorry," Naruto whispers softly. "I didn't think of it that kinda way."

A pause. "What brought this on, Naruto? You're not usually like this."

"I just thought Mom believed in me more than this," Naruto says.

"That is not true, and that shouldn't take you to the point where you would question her," Anko replies. "This is far deeper than just this mission, isn't it, Naruto?"

"I just wish she would have told me she was the jinchuuriki. She hasn't even told me who Dad was. She thinks I can't handle it or something. I know that Dad was the 4th Hokage."

Naruto knows that? I had kept the information away from him so he wouldn't feel any pressure about his goals or expectations! How did he find out? Did Anko tell him that? Or someone else?

"And considering the way you're acting right now, I would've kept the information from you too," Anko says. "Because you're acting like a narcissistic, immature jerk. You're acting like me when I was your age right now and I don't like it one bit."

I lean back around, and I can see Anko's back turned away from me, and Naruto obscured from view. They're really close by. I lean back and let them continue talking.

"Naruto," Anko says, "I was taught by Orochimaru. You know who he is, right?"

"Yeah. He's become a monster or something. Everyone hates him and don't even wanna say his name," Naruto replies.

"Right. I was one of Orochimaru's genin, Naruto. He was my mentor, my sensei. Even right now, I can pull off one of his signature techniques. He made me the person I was when I first met you. You remember who that person was, don't you?"

"A narcissistic jerk," Naruto replies.

"Right. With some extra bloodthirstiness for good measure. I am _not_ that person anymore, Naruto. I won't be Orochimaru all over again, and I won't let you become like how I was or Orochimaru either. Is that clear?"

"Yeah," Naruto's voice is much softer than it usually is.

"Now cheer up and get those stupid thoughts about your mom outta your head," Anko says. "You know how happy you've been since she came home. You told her yourself. 'A dream come true', right?"

"I remember," Naruto says.

"Naruto, I know you were alone for a long time, but you are _loved_, unconditionally. Never forget that."

"I'm sorry," Naruto sniffs. It takes me a moment to realize that Naruto's starting to _cry_. "I'm sorry. I-I just felt like t-total crap for a sec."

I hear soft, cloth movements, and I lean back around the corner. I can see Naruto's arms wrapped around Anko's waist, and Anko has clearly returned the embrace.

"You shouldn't, Naruto. You definitely shouldn't. If that's your mom who's following us, think of this mission as a way to prove to her how strong you've become. How improved you are as a shinobi. Use this in a positive way, Naruto," Anko says.

"I-I will," Naruto says, his voice soft and trembling.

"No more doubts, okay? Let's just go to the Land of Snow, kick some ass, and make your mom proud of you, got it?" Anko says.

"Y-Yeah! Believe it!" Naruto says.

"That's the spirit. Now, let's go back and get the others. We'll worry about whoever's following us some other time, okay?"

"All right . . . all right. Just lemme wipe my eyes for a sec. I don't want Sasuke or Hinata to see this."

"It's all right, I get it," Anko says.

A few seconds pass. "Okay. I'm good."

"Let's go then," Anko says. "We need to hurry. I think the next ship sets off in about two hours. We may have just enough time for tickets if we move fast."

A few footsteps. "By the way, race ya."

I hear Anko take off, and Naruto gasps. "Hey, get back here! Not funny! I'm the one who's supposed to get the head start! Anko!" Naruto shouts as he begins running as well.

"Anko-_sensei_!" I can hear Anko shout in the distance, then nothing.

I can't help and smile at that. Even after hearing what I just heard.

So Naruto knows. He's known probably for a long time. Just like he figured out that I had to be the jinchuuriki.

I can't blame him for being angry at me. I am sure that Naruto thinks I'm not giving him enough credit. Or that I think he's stupid enough to not figure it out. But that's not it. That's not the truth at all, far from it.

And it's not because Naruto's a "narcissistic jerk" either to use Anko's words. It's for something else entirely.

When I talk to Naruto again, I'm going to need to discuss _why_ with him. So he understands why I did what I did with hiding his father's identity from him. After that, no more secrets. Naruto's twelve years old, he is approaching a difficult time in his life, he's going to become a chuunin and a teenager, he shouldn't have his mother hide him from everything anymore.

Still, it's clear he still doubts me, even though he's hidden it and he's usually happy. All it takes is him perceiving that I have no faith in him to crush that spirit of his. I wonder if it's a nightmare he has at night, that one day he'll wake up and I'm not there for him anymore, not because of a mission, but because I walked away from Konoha once again.

It's not happening, Naruto. I hope someday I can convince you that it will never happen.

And then there will be no doubts. For either of us.

* * *

The ticket lady was less than thrilled with me. "What is with people and their need to go to the Land of Snow today? You _are_ aware you're going to an unstable country that was effectively closed off from the rest of the world until recently, right?"

"There's something I have to do there. I don't have much of a choice," I told her.

The ticket lady shook her head. "I'm just sayin'. There's been rumors that the resistance to Doto Kazahana is getting pretty antsy. You could be walking into a civil war by the time you get there."

"That's a chance that I have to take, ma'am. I'm sorry, but I have to go."

"For your own good, especially as a woman travelling alone-"

I will _not_ listen to people questioning me as a "woman travelling alone". Never. "Will you just shut up and take my money? I'm paying for second-class here!"

"All right, all right. Go knock yourself out. Just don't blame me if you never come back," the ticket lady replied.

After that, with my lone ticket, I walked out of the office, but out of the corner of my eye I caught the lady giving me a rude gesture. I thought briefly about returning it, then thought better of it and walked outside.

The ship itself doesn't feel that bad. Feels sturdy. It's powered by civilians who have skill with ninjutsu, along with traditional rowers. While the rowers are doing much of the grunt work, the ninjutsu crew is what keeps the ship on course, keeping the ship from being caught in currents and keeping it stable when there's giant waves. The ninjutsu crew, all skilled with water manipulation, are the insurance policy that we will stay on course and make it to our destination.

There aren't a lot of passengers on this ship heading to the Land of Snow. Most of them are making stops in the nearby Land of Waves or the stop after the Land of Snow, the Land of Iron. Most of what's heading to the Land of Snow seems to be the essentials. Food, clothing, water. Not that I'm surprised by that. A war-torn country would be in desperate need of essentials.

Yukie paid for first class. They get the best compartments. I, for my part, get to sleep in a deeper part of the ship, away from the others. I don't mind this. Even though I've basically been caught at this point, I still want to give them some space. I'm only here to step in if things go crazy.

I don't like the creaking this ship makes. It sounds foreign, almost alien. It reminds me that I'm sitting inside is basically a fancy wooden crate floating on water. And, since I'm deeper in the ship, if something goes wrong and we begin sinking, I'm going to be in big trouble compared to the others.

Still, this place isn't bad. Mattress could be thicker and I'd prefer more light in here, but I can live with this.

I'm going to be spending a few days cooped up in here. I _better_ be able to live with this.

My meal for the night is simple. An apple I've carefully perserved, and some cold (but cooked back in Konoha) pork and riceballs, along with fresh water. Apples and limes are good for warding off scurvy, so I've always made sure to stock up on them during my travels or in Konoha's markets and bring them home.

After that, I curl up in my bed and fall asleep, listening to the ship rock back and forth. We're going to be launching during the middle of the night, and I'd rather be asleep for that.

I haven't been out to sea very much. I'd like to wake up to discover we're on the sea. That would help me adjust to being at sea better too, if I spend the first few hours asleep. Maybe I won't get seasick.

And even if I do get seasick, I'll just use my control over chakra to prevent it, or at least keep it from getting worse. It's doable.

Just like this mission. No attacks on Naruto's team yet. So far, the mission is running pretty smoothly. Maybe I can rest easy about this. And maybe I can rest easier for future C-ranked missions.

I'd really like that.

* * *

Instead of waking up to discover we're at sea, I wake up to discover orange eyes staring at me in the face.

It's a girl's face, and she smiles broadly. "Hiya!"

"GAAH!" I leap from the bed and fall onto the floor, but quickly reposition myself into a fighting stance. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"

"I picked the lock, silly!"

Wait, that voice. I know it! Along with the girl's face!

"_Fuu_? What the hell are _you_ doing here? I thought you were supposed to stay in Konoha!"

"I got bored, so I decided to follow you and see what you were up to!" Fuu replies cheerfully. "So far it's pretty boring but I've gotten to see some cool places at least! And now I get to be on a ship! I've never been on a ship before!"

I can't believe this. I want to bang my head against the wall and then bang Fuu's head against my dents in the wall for good measure. "You left Konoha, undoubtedly without permission, presumably put the village into a panic, and put yourself in _danger_, because you were _bored_?"

"Oh." Fuu's smile turns sheepish. "When you put it that way it doesn't sound like such a good idea, does it?"

"That's because it's _not_ a good idea, Fuu. You have any idea where we're going, or what this mission is all about?"

"I dunno. I figured you would tell me," Fuu replies with a shrug.

Heaven help me. "This ship is going to the Land of Snow, Fuu."

"What's the 'Land of Snow'?" Fuu asks.

"It's a country that's been war-torn in recent years and is _really_ cold, Fuu. Filled with blizzards, subzero temperatures, and a militarized atmosphere from the locals. Not to mention it is _really _far away from Konoha. It's going to be around a month from the moment we left Konoha to the moment we return."

Fuu's sheepish grin grows wider. "Oh wow. I don't feel so smart now."

No kidding! "I only see one knapsack with you. Did you even pack for the _possibility_ of the cold?"

"Uh, no. I didn't know we were gonna go to a cold place," Fuu replies, her face turning red from embarrassment.

Great. So I'm going to need to sew some clothes for her. I had brought some spare yarn, fabric, and needles to pass the time on this ship, but I was figuring I'd make blankets or a cot, not create clothing! No, not just that! Somehow I'm going to need to manufacture an entire _wardrobe_ for this girl unless I want her to get frostbite!

And I know I won't do that to her. She's just a girl. Fuu deserves some sort of reprimanding for this, but frostbite is something I wish on no one.

"Did you pack for a trip that could last a month?"

"Uh . . . no."

Now I'm going to have to split my rations with her, I only packed enough for me and maybe a couple of days to spare. Either Fuu or I are going to need to hunt in order for us to not go hungry.

"I have a feeling I'm not going to like this answer either, Fuu, but did you even pay to get on this ship? I don't think you have a ton of money on you?"

Now Fuu looks _really_ embarrassed. "I . . . snuck onboard."

I just bury my head in my hands. Why, why, _why_? So many lessons to teach this girl. So little time to do it.

Well, there's something else to do while I pass the time here at sea. Try to drum some sense into this girl's head! She's going to need that if she wants to pass the Chuunin Exams, that's for sure!

Fuu laughs nervously. "Look, the guards were stupidheads! It was easy to trick them to look one way and get an eyeful of my Scaled Sneak technique and for me to run onboard the ship! They had no clue who hit them or where I went!"

"This doesn't make what you did intelligent or right," I say. "Everything you've done is completely by impulse. That's not how you do things. You _think_ before you act."

Finally, Fuu's face falls. "I'm sorry. I just . . . I just needed to _do_ something. Even if it was just following you around."

She sits on the bed and looks down. "Konoha's a nice place and all . . . but I still got nobody to hang around with. All of the genin teams are gone except for Team 10. So I'm just practicin' by myself, trying to find something to do. Trying to make myself better so I have a shot at passing the Exams. Taki don't have many genin, Ms. Uzumaki. There were only going to be nine entrants, maybe twelve, for this go-around."

It occurs to me for the first time that Fuu is actually wearing her Taki forehead protector. She's just wearing it around her neck, like a scarf, but I've never seen her wear it before. She's never taken pride in being from Taki openly before. I wonder if the Exams approaching are making her realize what she's representing.

"And . . . there's no one who really understands me either, Ms. Uzumaki. You're the only one who can understand me. You're like me," Fuu says.

I've heard enough. "I understand, Fuu. Really, I do. It's just . . . what you've done is incredibly reckless and I can't approve of it at all. But, now that we're probably at sea, it's not like I can just send you back to Konoha at this point. I'm going to have to make do here."

Fuu smiles. "Thank you, Ms. Uzumaki. I hope I didn't make you super mad."

I sit down beside her on the bed and wrap my arm around her shoulder, and her head leans against my body. She's just a girl, not much different than Naruto. Just looking for a purpose and wanting to be cared for. I really can't be angry at her for desiring these things. Just with how she's trying to get them.

"Just do what I say without question from this point forward," I say. "You understand? This is how we're going to bring you back to Konoha so you can participate in the Chuunin Exams, got it?"

"All right," Fuu says. "I can do that."

"_Thank you_." I hope I've managed to get through to this girl somehow, some way.

"And no, I'm not mad at you. Being mad isn't going to solve anything. You're here, and you're not prepared, and now we need to fix this."

I reach into one of my packs and pull out yarn. "We're going to sew you some clothes and blankets so you don't freeze to death out there. You're here, and now it's time to take responsibility. I'm going to teach you how to sew clothes and knit blankets."

"Okay, I can do that," Fuu says. "Just one question."

"Yes?" I ask.

"Where's the bathroom on this ship?" Fuu asks, a sheepish smile on her face. "I really gotta go and I've got no clue where it is."

Go figure. "All right. That first. _Then_ its lesson time."

"Sounds good. Now help me, _please_," Fuu says.

"All right, just follow my lead," I say, and I grab Fuu by the hand and lead her outside.

I can't believe this. Instead of being Naruto's mom I have to be _Fuu's_ mom. How does _that_ happen?

But then I remember. Fuu's own words, a week ago, right after I saved her from Choji's wrath. _"So this is what being lectured by a mother feels like."_ Those were her words.

I wonder if _that_ is the real reason why she's here. She desires a mother . . . and I, being a jinchuuriki and the person who helped save her life from the Akatsuki, am a prime candidate for that.

If that's the reason why she's here, because she views me as that maternal figure, I can't be mad at her for that.

But if she's going to place me at that pedestal, then she's going to learn that she just can't do something impulsive and then beg me to save her. That's not how it works.

She's thirteen years old. I guess it's better late than never for her to learn how the world works, and how having a family works either.

I just hope she doesn't drive me crazy in the process. Because it is _never_ too late to go mad either . . .

* * *

You'll notice some big differences between the Land of Snow in this fic and in the movie. I decided to make the Land of Snow's technological advancement less dramatic but also made it more of a plot point. You'll see what I mean as we progress through the next several chapters up until the final battle.


	24. Stationary Travel

dracoholo117: Hehe, glad you enjoyed it. XD Fuu will be Fuu.

Trubeque: Yeah, probably both. ;)

Riku Uzumaki: Glad to give you a (hopefully) pleasant surprise, then. Yeah, Kushina is going to be a bit of a mother figure for Fuu. And Fuu . . . Fuu is more competent than she's letting on.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Stationary Travel**

_Sasuke Uchiha_

It's gotten cold, and fast.

I can't even step outside without a scarf and a second layer of clothing on, and it's only been two days since we set off. We've already made all of our stops in the Land of Waves, where apparently there's been some kind of chaos involving a businessman named Gato. I didn't get a lot of details, but apparently some Konoha ninja were involved at well.

That reminds me. Ms. Kurenai Yuhi's group, Team 8. _They_ were going to the Land of Waves, if I remember right, weren't they? What have they gotten themselves into? Everything just sounds wild and random but one thing's for sure, _somebody_ died. And one thing remains consistent among all the wild rumors of blood and broken bones: that someone died of a broken neck.

I can't imagine that being Ms. Yuhi. But there were three genin with her. Sakura Haruno, who came very close to being with us. Kiba Inuzuka, the latest of a long line of Inuzukas who have dogs as companions. Finally there's Shino Abarame, who I don't know much about, his clan is mysterious above all else. Any one of those three could've had the broken neck.

Or maybe, it was one of the _genin_ or Ms. Yuhi herself who broke someone's neck. That could be true. I can't imagine any of the genin being able to do that, though. It could only be Ms. Yuhi if it was done by a Konoha ninja to an opponent. She's a jonin, albeit a fairly new one, though not as new as Anko-sensei. She's more than capable of doing that.

In the end, though, I can't worry about that. Team 8 have their mission, and I have mine. If something went wrong, that is up to Team 8 and the rest of Konoha to solve.

Still, the fact that the one consistent piece of information is that there was a broken neck makes me nervous. That's a sign that the mission went above and beyond the boundaries of a C-rank. Broken necks happen on B and A-ranks. And Anko-sensei and the rest of us are suspicious that this mission could very well be B-ranked or A-ranked. What if the same thing happens to us?

I know we all have to be thinking whether it would be a good idea to turn the ship around and head back to port. I know I'm not going to be the one who brings it up, though. Anko-sensei is trusting me to help her, to effectively be her second-in-command. I'm not going to show any more cowardice. Not after what happened in the theater.

I walk along the deck, searching for signs of anything suspicious on the horizon. Nothing. This shipping lane is apparently pretty clear of pirates. Anko-sensei said to expect a pretty easy trip to the Land of Snow, after all.

After one trip around, I see Hinata near the bow, just looking out into the ocean, her eyes curious but also a bit sad. "Patrolling the ship too?" I ask.

"Oh," Hinata says as she looks at me, somewhat surprised. "No, not really. I just wanted to see the ocean."

That reminds me. I haven't really stared out at the ocean yet. At the dock, or the days we've been at sea, I've never looked out at the horizon, at the water. I've never let myself just get lost in thought. I'm focusing on the mission. But, while we're at sea, with no conceivable threats around us, can I just let my guard down, for a few moments, just to enjoy the day? Just to look out at the sun reflecting on the water, wonder what kind of fish and other creatures may be below the water? Or just think about things that don't involve violence or Konoha or the mission, just be at peace?

Mother would say otherwise. She'd say "_No. The mission is what's important. Our job is to protect the people so _they_ can sightsee. If _we_ sightsee, people die._"

Still, I can't fault Hinata for desiring a few minutes of peace and relaxation. Not at all.

"It's the farthest we've ever been from home," I say, looking at the water. "I think it's okay if you just want to stare out at the water for a little while."

"I just want to think about things," Hinata replies. "I'm worried about this mission, Sasuke. Especially what we've heard about what's been going on in the Land of Waves."

"We don't have the full story, just a bunch of rumors," I say, trying to reassure her. I hope she hasn't realized that the only consistent detail is the report of _somebody_ having their neck snapped. "Don't worry about it, Hinata."

"I . . . I guess I shouldn't. It's silly of me, isn't it?" Hinata asks.

"It's not silly at all. I hope Ms. Yuhi's team is okay. But our mission is to protect Yukie. Anko-sensei said so. We're not going to go charging through the Land of Waves half-cocked and put Yukie at risk just because of rumors."

"Anko-sensei," Hinata repeats softly, and she looks down, over the edge.

"Is something wrong?" I ask.

"I've seen her chakra with my Byakugan, Sasuke," Hinata says. "There's something _wrong_ with it. Like it's twisted and frayed and even _dark_. It scares me."

I've never heard this before from Hinata. That there's something off about Anko-sensei's chakra. I've heard that she had been experimented on by Orochimaru, one of the most infamous ninja in Konoha's history, though. That could have something to do with it.

"Why have you never brought this up? You could've said something during Anko-sensei's test," I say.

Hinata's eyes seem to shimmer. "I didn't want to cost you and Naruto the chance to pass the test, Sasuke. If I had said something, Anko-sensei would not be leading us right now. Someone else would. And that person may not have passed us."

She gives me a small, embarrassed smile. "You were coming up with a good plan. I didn't want to wreck it or make you nervous."

I can see what Hinata's saying, but I don't really like it. It implies that Anko-sensei is suppressing something deep down inside her, refusing to let it out. And I wasn't aware she could be suppressing anything at all. I haven't sensed one bit of evil or killing intent from her. Whatever it is that Hinata's talking about, Anko-sensei has pushed it _way_ down.

"Can you describe the chakra to me? What do you mean by 'twisted' and 'frayed'?"

"I . . . I don't know," Hinata says. "It just seems like it's boiling, festering, like it's looking for an escape but the rest of Anko-sensei's chakra is twisted up in it somehow. Like she's wrapped it up in a coil. I just see this _violence_ in it."

"Anko had a seal placed on her by Orochimaru," says a voice behind us.

I turn around and there's Naruto, standing behind us, hands in his pockets.

"A seal?" I ask.

"Yeah. Anko told me all about it. It's called 'The Cursed Seal of Heaven' or somethin' like that," Naruto says as he walks inbetween Hinata and I.

"I'm glad you know what it is, Naruto," Hinata says softly. She can't quite meet Naruto in the eye the way she can with me. I think she may be crushing on Naruto a little, which wouldn't surprise me. It's better than if she was crushing on _me_ like every other girl in Konoha.

"I ain't too worried about that seal," Naruto says confidently. "That's a part of Anko I haven't seen for about six years now. She hasn't let that dark chakra out even once."

"You're really sure, Naruto?" Hinata asks.

"Of course I am," Naruto says, smiling. "Anko lived with me for a long time, remember? And anyway, if that seal was gonna be a problem, they wouldn't let her be our sensei anyway. I think the Hokage is kinda dumb on some things but he wouldn't let Anko teach us if he thought Anko would suddenly go evil or somethin'."

That's Naruto for you. Speaking so blunt, even about the most respected figures in Konoha. It's refreshing, actually. "Well, if it means anything, I haven't detected anything wrong with her either."

Naruto chuckles. "That's 'cause there's _nothing_ wrong with her. She's our sensei, Sasuke. I ain't worried about nothin', not about Anko anyway. Now _Yukie_ is the one who's botherin' me. She's up to somethin' and I wanna know what it is."

"Plus that person Anko-sensei says keeps following us," Hinata adds.

"I'm not worried about the person following us either," Naruto says, putting his arm around Hinata. Hinata's face immediately turns red, and Naruto somehow is oblivious to it.

"We're gonna be all right, Hinata, okay? There's no need to be scared. If somethin' goes down I'm gonna make sure the bad guys don't do nothin'," Naruto says.

"T-Thank you," Hinata says softly.

Naruto grins cheerfully at her. "You're welcome!"

Naruto . . . it never ceases to amaze me how oblivious you are to this girl and her clear crush on you. Can't you tell at all?

"What the heck are _you_ stupidheads doin' out here?"

I know that voice. The moment, and the rest of the day, are ruined.

I see Nanako, hands on her tiny hips, glaring at us. "Aren't ya dummies supposed to be protectin' us? Why're you standin' out here?"

"Maybe we felt like _talkin'_ to each other, brat," Naruto replies. "Cause we're friends and you don't have any."

Oh, that's not going to go over well, Naruto.

Nanako growls. "You're just a meaniehead who knows nothin' and is gonna get us killed! I'm gonna tell Yukie how you're all just a bunch of clueless nincompoops!"

She runs off all of a sudden, leaving the three of us standing here, staring at her.

"'Nincompoops' . . . that's a pretty big word for a little girl," Naruto grumbles. "Especially for a dumb brat like her."

"You think she'll get us all in trouble?" Hinata asks.

"Not if we throw her overboard first," Naruto says. "Who's with me?"

"Trust me, I want to do the same thing, but she _is_ technically our client, Naruto. Can't do it," I say.

"You suck, Sasuke," Naruto growls.

That's the typical response to me whenever Naruto knows I'm right about something and doesn't like it. I've gotten used to it.

"Well, thanks for referring to me as a 'friend'," I say.

Naruto's eyes widen. "Guh, um . . . I mean, compared to Nanako, you're a . . . well . . ."

"I think it's nice that you consider Sasuke a friend too, Naruto," Hinata says with a gentle smile on her face.

"Aww." Naruto just hangs his head, and I can't help but smile. Naruto may be oblivious to Hinata's crush on him, but he doesn't like letting Hinata down. That much is clear.

Hinata just giggles at that. She may be kind-hearted and shy, but even she can be amused. Albeit it's at Naruto's expense, but that's Naruto, the class clown, for you.

"I . . . I'll come up with somethin', Sasuke! I, uh . . ." Naruto looks at Hinata, and I know what he's thinking. Letting Hinata down by saying we're not friends or sticking up for his pride and say we're still rivals.

"We're frenemies! Yeah, that's it! You're still my rival, Sasuke! But that doesn't mean that I'm like tryin' to hurt ya or somethin'!" Naruto exclaims, and then he looks at Hinata. "Am I making any sense?"

"No, but that's why you're so funny," Hinata says, giggling again.

"D'oh." Naruto hangs his head again, and even I can't help but laugh. This team would be a lot more grim if Naruto wasn't on it to lighten the mood, even if it's at his expense most of the time.

That's what makes Naruto an important member of the team, even though it's an unexpected way.

He keeps us from being crushed by the expectations, by the possibility of death or killing others. You can't underestimate how much that means, not until you feel it for the first time.

It's the sense that Naruto is what keeps us alive.

* * *

That night, I decided to investigate what Hinata was talking about with Anko-sensei's twisted chakra. Naruto was snoozing away in his bunk, and Anko-sensei was still awake, taking a walk down the hallway. Clearly looking to make sure nothing was amiss before she went into Yukie's room to turn in. Anko-sensei was resting in Yukie's room, while the three of us slept in a room next to them. We had made some "modifications" to the room, basically by creating a hidden passage between each rooms so we could evacuate between the two if necessary.

"Are you really sure this is the right time for this?" Hinata asks.

"Look, what Naruto said about this 'cursed seal', it's something we didn't know about before."

"Well . . . we knew that Orochimaru had done _something_ to Anko-sensei. We just didn't know _what_ until just now," I reply. "Look, it'll make us both feel better if we know what that seal is once and for all."

I try to smile reassuringly at her. "Besides, it's pretty clear that Anko-sensei isn't being affected by it. I don't think we have anything to worry about. We just ask, get our answer, and we can go back to sleep."

"You don't have to do this just for me," Hinata replies.

"Look, we're a team, we're sticking together on this one," I say. "That's what we do, okay?"

"Okay," Hinata says softly.

Anko-sensei turns around then. "Okay, what the heck are you guys talking about? You two are whispering about something or other . . ."

Well, guess it's not or never. "Anko-sensei, Hinata's concerned about your chakra. She's used her Byakugan on you and she's noticing something's odd about it."

Anko-sensei's eyes widen, then she relaxes. "Oh. To be honest, I was expecting that question a _long_ time ago. The only surprise is that you guys waited so long to ask it."

She walks up to us. "It doesn't look like anything special, not at first. I keep it pretty well hidden."

She bends down, just a little, and yanks the collar of her uniform down. And then I see it.

"This is called 'The Cursed Seal of Heaven'," Anko-sensei says.

I'm shocked. Naruto actually had it right. Then again, he _lived_ with Anko-sensei for several years. Even someone with a poor memory and attention span like Naruto's would get it right. I really took Naruto lightly back on the deck, even though I didn't intend to. Even in a small way, it's a mistake.

"That's what gives you that dark, bubbling chakra I can see with my Byakugan?" Hinata asks.

"In a way. It's not my own chakra, though. I assume you both have heard of the villain Orochimaru. He's used often these days to frighten you kids into obeying your elders," Anko-sensei says.

"Orochimaru?" Hinata's gray eyes widen. "My father speaks of him like he's a monster. Nothing but pure evil."

"My mother doesn't think highly of Orochimaru either," I say. Which is true. Mother doesn't like speaking of this man, though from what I can tell she met him. I am sure many of Konoha's elders have met him, actually. Maybe even knew him well. They just don't want to admit it. Orochimaru's been gone from Konoha for a long time. Out of sight, out of mind.

Anko chuckles. "I see."

She stands upright. "Konoha's mostly struck Orochimaru off their records, like he never existed. But the truth is that he is one of the three legendary Sannin that came from Konoha. Orochimaru used to be highly respected. He even served in the ANBU. And he . . . he was my sensei, when I was just a genin."

Hinata gasps outright. Even I feel my heart pound against my chest. I knew that Orochimaru had used Anko-sensei for an experiment, that was common knowledge in Konoha. But to be Orochimaru's _student_? Maybe even his disciple?

I don't want to show fear to Anko-sensei though. If she was going to lose her mind and attack us, she would've done it a long time ago. I know my fear is irrational. I have to work through it. Think logically. Or at least change the subject so I have time to process this. That's what Mother tells me to do if I'm ever taken off guard in a conversation.

"Orochimaru is a Sannin?" I ask. "I only knew the names of two of them. Jiraiya and Tsunade. Nobody ever told me the name of the third Sannin."

"There's a good reason why they don't tell you kids the identity of the third Sannin. Orochimaru was struck off the record because he's a missing-nin and considered to be a freak . . . which he is," Anko-sensei says, as she looks up, towards the ceiling.

I can hear Hinata shivering and starting to back up. She's letting her irrational fear control her. She isn't thinking logically. Soon, she'll be on the brink of panic. She has to be calmed down,_now_, before she freaks out.

Anko-sensei looks at us, and then eyes Hinata. "I'm not going to hurt you, Hinata. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"I-I-I'm sorry," Hinata stammers softly.

Anko-sensei smiles slightly. "I understand why you're afraid. I was taught by an evil man who used me and when I wasn't what he wanted he threw me away like garbage, so. This chakra that you sense is not my own. It _is_ Orochimaru's chakra."

Her attention is completely fixated on Hinata, who is visibly trembling, to the point where she can barely stand up. I want to reach out to her, to grab her and steady her, but I don't want to move suddenly. I don't want Hinata to panic. She is _so_ close to panicking and running away.

Anko-sensei has to notice this to. She's walking towards Hinata, slowly, deliberately, her hands clearly visible to show no weapons. "Hinata, I am _not_ Orochimaru. I have suppressed his chakra, and any bloodthirstiness you may sense. I have forced it all down so deep it will never emerge. You have my word."

Anko-sensei is now beside me, right in front of Hinata. Anko-sensei, bends down, just a bit, reaches her hands out and slowly touches Hinata's shoulders. Hinata flinches, but doesn't move or tries to run away.

Slowly, Anko-sensei's arms reach around Hinata's shoulders until she has Hinata locked into an embrace.

"It's all right," Anko-sensei whispers. "It's all right. You have nothing to be afraid of, Hinata."

Hinata slowly, softly, begins to cry. "I-I'm sorry. I-I'm s-sorry."

"Don't be," Anko-sensei replies.

They just stay like that for a minute, Hinata slowly burying her face into Anko-sensei's shoulder, and I can hear Anko-sensei slowly patting Hinata's back.

This is not how a person trained by Orochimaru, a monster, a villain of the worst kind, would act. Not in a logical way. Orochimaru used and abused children, experimented on them. Orochimaru would never do what Anko-sensei is doing now.

How much training, how much programming, is Anko-sensei rejecting, unconsciously or consciously, in every waking moment? Especially now? I try to gain a sense of her, and I can just feel it. But only just.

A darkness boiling inside her, trying to get out, like a hot geyser trying to spew through any crack it can find. Even with the tiniest sense, I can feel it all rush at me in waves. Something sadistic, even bloodthirsty, searching for a way to get out and _explode_.

But then I feel something else. Something very strong and resolute pushing back against it. Not violently. Almost like a sentient wall, sturdy, like steel or concrete, stoutly refusing to allow it to have a moment of escape.

It's not just Orochimaru's chakra, though I'm sure it's interfering and making this darkness stronger. It's Anko Mitarashi-sensei herself. She is fighting _herself_. The Anko-sensei we see is the one who is winning this war waging inside her, fighting what has to be raw, bloodthirsty instinct in its purest form.

So much can be seen in just a moment of sensing what's within. That's what Mother says to me all the time. All you need is a second to know the truth, once you find what lurks within the exterior.

And the truth of Anko-sensei is that she's a woman who is relying on every sense of morals, ethics, empathy, everything remotely good about herself to keep the darker side of her sealed off. Most people don't need to fight so hard to stay on the path they know is right. Not in this way.

I can't help but feel a little sympathetic towards her for having to fight what has to be a daily, even hourly or by-the-minute, war.

After a while, Anko-sensei speaks again. "Six years ago, I survived a horrific mission. When I came back from that, I realized how close I was to being what I hated. I don't want to go into heavy detail here, a lot of it is personal, but . . . I knew I had to _change_. I had to become a different Anko Mitarashi."

She lets go of Hinata and stands up, looking at me, and then looking at Hinata. "You may see or sense glimpses of the old me once in a while, especially if we get into a really bad fight. But I promise you both, just like I promised Naruto, your teammate, six years ago, that the Anko Mitarashi-sensei you see right now is the _only_ Anko Mitarashi you'll ever see. And I will never use this seal on my neck for _any_ reason whatsoever. I mean it."

Then she breaks out that wide, goofy grin that she has shown us so many times. "I hope I haven't, like, completely destroyed your guys' trust in me. I should've been more upfront about it from the start."

"I'm fine," I say. "You haven't destroyed it at all."

"Yes," Hinata whispers softly. "I agree with Sasuke. I'm sorry,"

Anko sighs. "Stop apologizing, Hinata. You don't have to. Truth is, you've taken it better than every man I've ever dated in my life."

"Really?" Hinata asks, clearly shocked.

"Yes you have. You've shown more trust and maturity than grown men. You should be proud of yourself," Anko-sensei says.

"Uh . . . okay," Hinata replies, clearly confused.

"How do you do it, though?" I ask. "How do you live like this?"

Anko chuckles. "To be honest, I'm not comfortable discussing this any further. A lot of this is _really_ personal. More personal than what I've already said. All you need to know is that none of you have anything to worry about, not from me. Do you understand that?"

That just makes me want to know _more_. But I have a strong feeling Anko-sensei is finished with this conversation. And, in a sense, she's right. She doesn't have to tell us if she doesn't want to.

There's no point in causing a fight. "No, I get it."

Anko sighs. "All right. That's good."

The smile fades. "Now, you two should turn in for the night. Get some rest. If the weather stays good, we'll be docking tomorrow evening and we're immediately setting off for Yukie's destination. I mean it."

"Yes, Anko-sensei," I reply.

"Good. Have a good night then, Sasuke, Hinata."

Anko walks past me and towards Yukie's door, and she softly opens and closes it behind her, leaving us out in the hall.

"Are you all right, Hinata?" I ask.

"Y-Yes," Hinata says. "I just . . . I'm okay now."

I don't think Hinata's telling the complete truth, her faith in Anko-sensei has been shaken, though not completely broken either.

"Well, so am I," I say. "I sensed Anko-sensei's feelings for just a couple of seconds, Hinata. What I saw is a battle, but Anko-sensei, _our_ Anko-sensei, is winning. She's been winning for a long time. I don't think we have anything to be afraid of, just like she said."

"You think so?" Hinata asks.

"Yeah."

Hinata smiles. "Thank you, Sasuke. I'm sorry for causing so much trouble."

No wonder Anko-sensei keeps telling Hinata to stop apologizing. You just get this feeling she doesn't have to but does so because she's always feeling she's done something wrong. It's victimized behavior. Why does Hinata act like this, like a victim?

"Don't worry about it," I say. "Now let's get some sleep. Sounds like we have a long day tomorrow."

"Okay," Hinata says. I feel a lot better when Hinata is smiling. She's been smiling a lot more lately, this latest conversation not exactly counting. I don't know who or what has made her unhappy and shy, but I like that Hinata is, at least, showing a bit more happiness around us.

Makes me wonder what her clan is like if she's so tentative and nervous. Can't be any worse than having my clan slaughtered in front of me, I'm sure.

At least, I'm _pretty_ sure . . .


	25. A Cold Life

Riku Uzumaki: We'll see if she can grow out of it. Anko's energy probably will help out a lot though, I think.

Trubeque: Thank you for the high praise. Truth be told, though, I care about the Naruto characters a lot. I wouldn't be writing this if I didn't care about them.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Five: A Cold Life**

_Kushina Uzumaki_

"Whoever invented winter or the cold in general deserves to die," Fuu moans behind me as we trudge through the forest. There are many, many snowbanks on the ground floor, and one bad step will have you sunk in four or five feet of snow. Fuu's adeptness at avoiding bad steps in the giant tree at Taki prove no help to her here. She truly does look like a genin now.

"Good luck trying to kill nature," I say. Personally, after two nights and a day spent in this never-ending cold, I've gotten a bit used to it. Albeit, I'll admit, this comes with a _lot_ of clothing layers all over myself. I did my best with Fuu, but she has it worse than I do when it comes to protection from the cold and snow.

I think I'll have to risk exposure to the group and check Fuu and I into an inn sometime soon. Otherwise, despite my best efforts, Fuu will develop frostbite.

"I don't wanna kill nature. I just wanna kill winter," Fuu replies. "Who the heck wants to live _here_ again? This place just plain _sucks_."

Eloquently put as always, Fuu. "People do live here. They also live in the neighboring country, the Land of Iron."

"Yeah, but _why_ do they want to live here?" Fuu asks. "Wasn't this place torn apart by a war or somethin' just a while ago?"

Part of me doesn't want to have to give Fuu a history lesson, on the other, at least she's giving me company. I have someone to talk to. That helps makes the days and night pass by quicker than it did when I was alone.

"Yes, it was," I reply. "I don't have all the details, but there was a war fought here between two brothers. One was the regent and the other was ineligible for the throne and he rebelled. The rebellion won the war, but there's supposed to be a resistance movement against the new regime."

"Why would _anyone_ fight over this piece of frozen crap?" Fuu asks.

"Because they live here," I reply.

"Why do they live on a piece of frozen crap?" Fuu asks.

I see nothing is going to dissuade Fuu from her opinion, but I can try to explain. But she is putting Naruto to shame when it comes to obtuse stubborness. "The Land of Snow has traditionally been a hotbed when it comes to technological development in the world. Electricity, the printing press, the crossbow, all of that was invented here in the Land of Snow and made it way to other countries. The Land of Snow is a wealthy land . . . or _was_."

"Why do they make all of their technology stuff _here_ instead of a more comfortable spot in the world?" Fuu asks.

"Probably because of the isolation. The Land of Snow controls what they sell to the outside world and what they keep to themselves this way," I reply. "The only land route to the Land of Snow lies through the Land of Iron, traditionally a militarized country where it's difficult to get passports to move in and out of. So the best way to access the Land of Snow is by sea."

"Oh, so it's like difficult to invade them and take the technology for yourself?" Fuu asks.

"Exactly. The Land of Snow's cold and isolation is part of the defense. Not to mention it gives the country an air of mystery, and allows it to be more advanced than any other nation in the world because it alone controls what the other nations can have," I reply.

"I'm surprised all of the other nations, whether shinobi or samurai, allow the Land of Snow to do this," Fuu says.

"Fear of the unknown is a big thing. Especially as the Land of Snow has long used the threat of secret, powerful weapons to keep enemies at bay as well. It gives other nations the perception they are walking into something they will not escape from." I say.

"I'll say," Fuu says, and then she yelps and I hear something padded fall behind me.

I've gotten used to that sound. I turn around to see Fuu neck-deep in snow.

"Oh come on!" Fuu growls. "Third time this hour!"

"Actually, I think it's just the second," I reply. "You've gotten better."

Fuu rolls her eyes. "Just help me outta here, Ms. Uzumaki."

"Ahem."

"Please?"

"That's better."

Someone has to teach this girl respect and manners. Obviously Taki hadn't done a good job of that. If Fuu is going to leave it up to me to take care of her, she's going to have to start playing by _my_ rules. That means she needs to learn how to be respectful and responsible. She doesn't like it, she can find someone else, and she'll just find out that no matter where she goes, rules and morals are going to follow her.

So far, though, she hasn't completely rejected me yet.

I reach into the snow and yank Fuu out, and she shivers as she gets out. I hear her teeth chatter as she stands next to me, hugging herself. "I-I _hate_ this country."

"Trust me, I understand, Fuu. You'll get better at this."

"Remind me why I wanted to come along again," Fuu grumbles.

"You came because you were bored. Your words," I say.

"I'll take being bored over this," Fuu says as she begins walking away.

"Now _this_ is what we call maturing into an adult. You're getting wiser in a sense," I say.

"What do you mean? And why only in a sense?" Fuu asks as she turns back around.

"Because you're realizing that it's better to live in peace and tranquility over openly seeking excitement and chaos," I say. "As for the latter statement . . . well, you're going the wrong way."

Fuu stares. Then she kicks a nearby tree in frustration. "Dang it!"

"You shouldn't have done that," I say.

"Why not?" Fuu asks, but her face already realizes it as a big shadow falls over her figure. She has time to look down and look back up before a massive plume of snow crashes down on her.

I wait a second, and I look to see Fuu absolutely covered in snow, her face red with both embarrassment and anger.

"I _really_ hate this country," Fuu growls.

I can only suppress laughter as I walk over to pull her out of the snow again.

* * *

Another night in a tree. It's more dangerous now, in the cold. Very easy to catch hypothermia or frostbite while sleeping, especially without a fire. Anko had been reluctant to light fires back on the mainland, but here, she's decided the need for warmth outweighs the risk. Her fire is far from the only one. I see five or six other smoke entrails from my position.

I can't forgive myself if Fuu dies here. I don't let her sleep alone. Her clothing, patched together the best I could, is barely adequate as it is.

I make sure Fuu has relieved herself, and then she and I climb up one of the taller trees where there's a nice sturdy branch for us to rest on. Fuu watches me prepare my ropes. "I can't believe I have to sleep with you like a little kid again."

"Two bodies close together is warmer than two bodies sleeping apart," I say. "It's better this way, especially as we have to stretch the blankets between two people.

"Hmmph," is all Fuu says in response.

"Is something wrong? Besides you keep getting covered in snow, I mean," I say.

"In a weird way, I'm kinda shocked you didn't find some way to just send me back to Konoha," Fuu says.

"There's no point. You decided to come along for the ride. Now you need to own up to it. I'm not rewarding you for your irresponsibility here. You're seeing this out and then you have a _lot_ of explaining to do when we make it back to Konoha, Fuu."

"I'm sorry, okay? I just . . ."

"Save it for the Hokage, Fuu. You have plenty of time to think up a good apology."

I can see Fuu bite her lip in the darkness. "Why do you follow Naruto here? None of the other parents are here, at least I don't think so."

"I'm following him because I love him and want to make sure he's okay," I say. "It's his first C-ranked mission. He is not a jinchuuriki like I am. He only has had two months or so of genin training. If he's not ready, or someone else on his team is not ready, I'm going to step in and save them. Genin deserve the chance to learn from their mistakes, not uselessly die in the field without the opportunity to learn."

I'm reminded of my own days as a genin, watching genin teams come back with just a jonin and one or two students, or, once, three genin return without their sensei. I kept thinking how those deaths could have been prevented if someone else had been there to save them, so they could learn from their mistakes. Those genin were almost all children or teenagers. They didn't deserve to die so young.

I'm not going to let Naruto or his teammates die at the age of twelve. Not on their first mission.

"Do the parents of the other kids love their children?" Fuu asks.

"Of course they do," I say.

"Then how come they're not following Ms. Mitarashi and the team too?" Fuu asks. "Why just you?"

Now _that_ is a loaded question. I don't want to imply that I have no faith in Naruto or Anko or anyone else. That's not the truth.

"Because I am a jinchuuriki, the only jinchuuriki who has a child," I say. "You want to know how I know this? One of the Akatsuki, Hidan, told me that. That's how they plan to get to me. To capture Naruto and lure me into a trap."

"Huh." Fuu makes a couple of kicking motions with her legs. "Betcha that the plan's sunk now that you know about it, though."

"Or that's just what they _want_ me to think," I reply. "There's no way to know, Fuu. I know I can't follow Naruto around forever, it's not fair to him, or fair to myself . . . but I just have to make sure that he's okay. That the Akatsuki won't attack him."

"Probably doesn't help that he _looks_ like a jinchuuriki," Fuu says. "With those whisker-like markings on his face."

"My mentor, Mito Uzumaki, warned me that if I had a child, it would be born with distinguishable features on the face or the body that resemble the Nine-Tails. I was ready for that," I reply.

"Oh really?" Fuu asks. "So if I have a kid someday he or she'll have something of Chomei on his or her face?"

"Probably," I say.

Fuu just grins. "I'm gonna have a cool-lookin' kid."

Why am I not surprised she said that?

"Don't get ahead of yourself," I say. "You're thirteen years old. The time to decide whether you want children will come soon enough."

"Nah, I'm pretty sure I want one," Fuu says. "But only one. You look like you have enough trouble with just one. I can't imagine two."

She sighs. "Now watch. I'll have twins or somethin'."

"Why are you so sure?" I ask. I'm honestly a little surprised at what I'm hearing. Girls Fuu's age aren't usually this serious about this kind of topic. There usually a little bit of hesitation, or levity, that takes a serious statement and makes you realize they're not sure of what they want for real. But it's not there in this one.

Fuu's smile fades. "I have my reasons, 'kay? Don't wanna talk about 'em."

I know that look, when a child looks away from you with that sad expression on her face. She _wants_ to talk about why, she just wants the adult to _force_ her to.

Well, I'm not going to force the issue. Fuu can open up when she feels like it. "Look, I have everything set up. Come here so I can tie you to me and then I can throw my blankets on top of us."

"Yeah, yeah." Fuu hops over and then lays on top of me her arms wrapped around me so I can get to work with tying us on the branch.

"Hurry up, I'm cold," Fuu says softly, but she already starting to drift off. She won't admit it, but the walk through the snow is tiring her out. It's easy to underestimate how hiking through snow can thoroughly exhaust you, more than anything else.

By the time I finish tying us to the tree, Fuu is asleep, her head resting on my shoulder like it's a pillow. I can't help but smile. She may be thirteen and a jinchuuriki but she is still a child. An adolescent. She's not going to have too many of these moments for much longer, where she can just be a child and enjoy life or have some type of innocent intimacy.

She's had far too few of those. That much I'm sure of.

I throw the blankets on over us, making sure Fuu won't smother yet is still warm, and then, managing the best I can despite my limited arm movement, hug her tightly. I lean my head against the tree bark and close my eyes. My back is going to kill me in the morning, but better my back than Fuu's.

I'm thirty-seven. I don't need consideration for being old yet. Fuu's thirteen. She's young enough to be my daughter. Fuu deserves nicer treatment than I do.

Holding onto her tightly, as if loosening my grip is all that it takes for Fuu to plummet from this tree or out of my life, I let myself drift off to sleep.

* * *

I don't stay asleep very long. I hear a voice. "I'm sorry."

I look down at Fuu, still nestled on my shoulder, though she's slipped down a bit, to where her head is partially obscured by the blankets.

Was that her I just heard now? Or someone else? I blink, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness. Do I need to get worried? Or is something else-

"I'm sorry."

No. I know that voice. It's soft and uncharacteristically vulnerable, but it's Fuu's voice.

I look down. With my eyes adjusted for darkness, I suddenly see it.

A pair of tears trickling out from underneath her closed eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mommy. I'm sorry, Daddy. Please don't leave me. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

It doesn't take any thought to know full well what Fuu is dreaming about. She's a jinchuuriki. She had no family in Taki. She had been abandoned and was left on her own, with only a few people tolerant of her.

It's not unrealistic to be rejected by the parents as well.

My hands have slipped from Fuu just a bit during the hours I was asleep. I readjust them so I'm holding Fuu again, and I bring her close. She does not stir. "Mommy. Daddy."

"It's okay," I whisper softly, not sure if she can hear me. "It's okay, Fuu."

"Mommy," Fuu moans.

"It's okay. It's okay. You're not alone." I look up at the starry sky, hidden by the branches of the trees and the thick needles of conifers. "You're not alone."

"Mommy," Fuu mumbles.

I close my eyes and force myself to rest. I have no idea if I have made Fuu's dream worse or better or am having no effect at all. But I couldn't help but say something without trying to wake her up. Anything to make the girl feel better, even if it's just in a dream.

I can't help but see Naruto in this girl, Naruto if he had been a jinchuuriki and had grown up completely alone. That's what Fuu reminds me of more than anyone else. She reminds me of Naruto, with a similar spirit and exuberance, but is significantly darker-edged than my son is. And, like Naruto, she'd never dare show to anyone how much she hurts internally.

Maybe that's why I can't bring myself to yell at her for putting herself, and me, and Naruto's mission in jeopardy. Because, if I ever had a daughter, she likely would be a lot like Fuu.

I let myself drift off again, holding the closest thing to a daughter I could ever have in my arms, and pray to the heavens that I can bring her back to Konoha. She deserves the right to achieve her own dreams and gain acceptance.

And no one has the right to take that away.

* * *

The next day, I don't broach the subject with Fuu right away. She probably has no idea what she was mumbling last night. But I can guess why she said that, and why she seems certain that she will become a mother.

But that's all I can do. Guess. Without actually asking Fuu, that's all I'll have to rely on. Just guesswork.

Guessing is not good enough.

After an hour of traversing the woods in silence, I look back at her, just for a second. "Is it all right if I ask you what happened to your parents, Fuu?"

Fuu raises an eyebrow. "Why do you care?"

"You were alone in Taki. I just wanted to ask you what happened to your parents. You should've had them for at least a little bit."

Fuu scoffs. "I don't care. They abandoned me when I was a little kid. They told me I was a freak and they left the village and left me behind."

"Did they agree to have your Tailed Beast sealed inside you?" I ask.

"No. But they let it happen because there was no other candidate better suited for it. That's what Shibuki's aunt Mika told me once. It was either seal Chomei inside me or risk putting Chomei in an incompatable body."

Fuu stares at me. "Why're you asking me this, Ms. Uzumaki?"

This conversation didn't turn out the way I had planned, but I know lying is not going to get me out of this one. "Because you were talking in your sleep last night, asking for your mother and father."

Fuu's eyes widen. Then she looks away, her face read. "I have dreams about the day they abandoned me a lot. Not that I remember much 'bout it, but I remember them callin' me a _freak_, for sure. I also have a lot of dreams about the one time I tracked them down, when I was ten years old and on a mission to Ame."

Fuu pauses, and then shakes her head. "They didn't even recognize me right away, and when I pressed them, my mom freaked out and screamed at me to leave. That's all there is to it, Ms. Uzumaki."

Fuu's attitude may be sardonic and acerbic, but I can hear the raw pain underneath her voice. A hidden loneliness she no longer feels comfortable sharing.

Fuu's lips curl. "I said I was sorry. It wasn't good enough."

I almost want to apologize to her, but I catch myself. I have nothing to apologize for. This isn't _my_ fault. It'll just make Fuu angry if I apologize.

"You seemed to have people who cared about you though, back in Taki," I say. "Shibuki was willing to protect and defend you."

"Shibuki wasn't different from anyone else, but he saw my mom freaking out at me and screaming at me to leave during the mission to Ame," Fuu says. "That's what made him change his mind and decide I was human, not a monster. He didn't care about me, he just pitied me and felt sorry for himself too 'cause he felt guilty."

"That's not what you said back in Taki," I reply. "You yourself said that Shibuki cared about you. And you said that in a natural manner, without a moment of hesitation."

Fuu just looks away.

"You're not as alone as you think you are," I say. "You are Taki's protector, Fuu. All you need to do is win people over. You've committed no atrocity or anything remotely terrible. You can still do it."

Fuu smiles sardonically. "You say that like it's easy."

"It's not easy. But you're not going to do it if you don't try."

It takes me a moment to realize that I haven't been taking my own advice. I hope Fuu doesn't realize that. That's something I need to do myself back in Konoha. Try to win everyone over again somehow, some way. Be their champion again, not their local pariah.

Fuu shakes her head. "Geez, you really _are_ acting like a mom."

"That's because I am one," I say, as Fuu walks past me.

"Yeah, I guess," Fuu says as she leans against a tree. She puts enough weight to make the tree shake a bit. "Ms. Uzumaki, this is gonna sound crazy, but . . ."

She looks up as another shadow looms over her.

I shield my eyes and face. I can't watch this one.

_Poompf_.

I gingerly open my eyes and lower my arms, and I see Fuu covered in snow once more. She licks the snow around her mouth and just gives me the most _dismayed_ expression I've ever seen. "I swear that if this happens _one more time_ . . ."

I can't help it. I can't control the smile that comes to my face. "Look at it this way, Fuu. You're learning to become one with nature."

"I just want out of this stupid country. Snow in the middle of summer. It's just . . . just . . . _stupid_!" Fuu shouts as I walk over to her to get her out.

The word _stupid_ seems to echo for a second.

"Please don't tell me that I caused an avalanche and we're all gonna die," Fuu moans.

I don't hear any rumbling or any warning signs of an avalanche. I guess _something_ had to go right with Fuu and snow today.

"Just don't shout like that again. You're tempting fate, Fuu," I say as I pull her out of the snow pile and brush her off.

"Yeah. I guess I am," Fuu says softly.

Just as I finish brushing her off, suddenly Fuu leans forward and hugs me.

My heart jumps. "W-What?"

"I'm tempting fate again," Fuu says softly. "I'm just hoping in a _good_ way this time."

It takes me a moment to realize what she means. My heart slows down, but aches a bit instead as I realize what Fuu is asking for. I hear the Nine-Tails just sigh in annoyance, like it always does when it sees these type of things.

"You are," are the only words I can think of saying. "And yes. It's in a good way this time."

"Thank you," Fuu says softly. "Ms. Uzumaki . . . my nakama."

What I have been doing with her ever since she got on the ship has been something she's never experienced before. It's the feeling of actually having someone care for her without pitying her.

She wants this experience to last forever. She isn't sure whether she wants to consider me family yet, but she considers me her first true companion, someone she can trust without fear of betrayal or pain.

To be held at such a pedestal means something indescribable in feelings but best can be compared to the feeling of caring for a family member, or at least a cousin. For her to consider me worthy of that, that she feels about me this way, helps remind me that I'm not alone either.

"A nakama of one?" I ask softly.

"Just to start with," Fuu says, and she smiles. "I plan on adding more."

That infectious energy. I can't help but smile back. "I hope I can help you add more."

The smile becomes a big, toothy grin. "I know I'll add more as long as I'm with you, Ms. Uzumaki."

I rub her hair, letting the last few snowflakes in them fall to the ground, and Fuu giggles.

Even on the coldest day, Fuu can still find warmth, and make others feel warm around her.

Even among jinchuuriki, she is special.

I will not let her down.

* * *

A/N: I considered making Yugito the lesser-known jinchuuriki to get a lot of screentime in this fic, but I settled on Fuu because of the potential for raw character growth. Plus Yugito's been written more in fanfiction than Fuu anyway, and Fuu, from her brief appearances in the manga, has more of a likable personality than Yugito anyway. She's a lot of fun to write.


	26. The Sound of Deception

dracoholo117: I already explained this in PM, but this is for anyone else who is confused: "Nakama" means true companions literally, but it doesn't hold the same emotional weight in Western culture. Basically "nakama" means you view a friend as someone closer than a friend, something you trust without reservations. It's a lot like family without being family. As for Fuu's parents . . . well . . . I believe they are living in Ame. I don't think their lives will stay peaceful for long if canon is an indicator.

Riku Uzumaki: I was shooting for "d'awww". XD It was a fun scene to write. I know it's largely filler, it didn't advance the plot or anything, but it gave Fuu some good characterization at least I hope.

Trubeque: LOL.

mugu: I'm sorry you're disappointed in chapter five, I PMed my full response to you.

All right, chapter twenty-six for what few readers this fic has.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Six: The Sound of Deception**

_Sasuke Uchiha_

"Anko, we're climbing up a mountain, right?" Naruto asks out of the blue.

"It's Anko-_sensei_, Naruto. And yes, we are," Anko-sensei replies.

"Can we chuck Nanako off the mountain so we don't have to deal with her anymore?"

Nanako shrieks. "Did ya hear that, sis? They want to murder me! Save me, Yukie! Save me!"

Yukie's only response is to sigh. "Ms. Mitarashi, please refrain from allowing your students to speak of murdering Nanako."

Nanako leans out from behind Yukie and sticks her tongues out at us.

Believe it or not, Naruto's violent solution to this problem seems to make more sense to me at this point. Last night, I had a peculiar dream about this same fantasy, throwing Nanako off the mountain. It felt like a colossal weight being taken off my shoulders . . . and then she transformed into a dragon and proceeded to charbroil all of us.

I don't enjoy dreams like that.

"I understand, Yukie. Please keep Nanako in line for the final day of our travels, though," Anko says.

Yukie sighs. "I'll do my best."

So far, the dramatic revelation that we've all been expecting from Yukie has yet to happen or even been hinted at. The Land of Snow is a barren place, with few towns and many mountains. Even the forests are becoming more and more sparse the more we walk through this land.

Yukie says that once we make it to a hotel located nearby, our contract will be fulfilled and she will allow us to return home. I personally am looking forward to it. I know Naruto badly wants some action, but for a first C-rank this has gone much smoother than I expected. It's helped that absolutely no one has attacked us.

Anko-sensei gave the three of us a lecture about this yesterday night. _"Not every mission is going to be filled with fighting. This is what missions are. This is what war is. It is boredom, incessant boredom, broken up by terror. The person who nearly became your teacher told me that . . . and the truth is, he's right. When you're older, you'll learn to appreciate the boredom . . . and you won't be looking forward to the terror."_

Kakashi Hatake, the person who nearly became our sensei but the Hokage himself changed the assignment at the last possible moment. For what, I don't know. I don't think I will get the clearance _to_ know until it no longer matters. But Kakashi Hatake is revered by most of the jonin and chuunin in Konoha. And Anko-sensei seems to regard him as her personal sensei for, well, being _our_ sensei.

Anko-sensei likes quoting Kakashi Hatake a lot. The words she claims are from Kakashi Hatake are impressive and wise, true. But I'd be more impressed about those words if Hatake wasn't the source of the "One Thousand Years of Death" too. My ass owes Hatake some serious payback for teaching Anko-sensei _that_ one.

Naruto still hasn't let me live it down that Anko-sensei hit me _first_ with that so-called "technique" either.

"Hey, Sasuke," Anko-sensei suddenly asks, taking my thoughts off of my humiliation a couple of months ago, "Hinata's falling behind a bit. Make sure she's okay. If we need to take a break I don't mind."

I turn around. Hinata's fallen about thirty yards or so behind Naruto and I. She's still moving, but her legs are quivering. She's definitely having trouble.

"Are you all right, Hinata?" I ask as she gets closer

"Please don't worry about me," Hinata says softly.

"Anko-sensei said that-"

Hinata smiles at me. "Sasuke, thank you for your concern, but I'm all right. All we need to do is get to the hotel. I can make it."

"Well, I'm going to follow you," I say. "You're not gonna walk alone here."

"Okay," Hinata says softly, and then I begin walking after her as she once again attempts to make progress up the trail.

Hinata has stellar chakra control. She was the first to make it up a tree during Anko-sensei's exercises. But it's clear she has the least amount of endurance out of all of us. Hinata started off in poorer physical shape than Naruto and I, her body has been playing catch-up all this time in terms of strength, speed, and endurance. I don't know who in the Hyuga clan decided that Hinata didn't need to build muscle while she was still an Academy student, or denied Hinata something she needed to get stronger, but the negligence has put Hinata at a disadvantage. And that could get her killed or someone else killed trying to protect her.

I'd like to teach the bastard a lesson. Naruto would just skip the lesson and punch whoever it is in the face. Anko-sensei has grumbled about having a "productive meeting" with the Hyuga clan as well.

We've rallied around Hinata more than her own family has. There is just something _wrong_ about that statement. But Hinata is missing _something_ from her family, whether it's support, confidence, love, or anything else. Something that Naruto has despite only having Anko and his mother for part of his life. Something that I guess I have despite my clan being murdered four years ago, leaving me with just Mother.

If Hinata had it . . . she would be on the same level as Naruto and I. Perhaps even better. Hinata has no idea how skilled she's become with that Byakugan.

But she doesn't.

Then I heard a voice from up ahead. Anko-sensei. "Yo! Sasuke! Hinata! Get your butts up here! You gotta see this!"

"C'mon," I say, and I take off at top speed up to level ground. Running uphill wears my legs out, but Anko-sensei's chakra teachings come in handy. Using chakra significantly reduces the amount of wear on my legs, making them feel fresher despite such an uphill sprint.

The moment I make it to where they're standing, I see it.

The most peculiar things on the ground.

What looks like metal rods strewn purposefully across the ground with wooden blocks underneath them. There's two sets of them on the ground, each situated close to each other.

"What the heck are these?" I ask.

"I'm hoping Yukie knows," Anko says. "I've never seen these before in my life."

"Tracks," Yukie says softly.

"Tracks?" Anko-sensei asks.

"I didn't know they were going to build actual lines for them yet," Yukie adds. "I thought it was just a prototype. Must be Doto's doing here."

Nothing Yukie is saying is making sense. Naruto adds the exclaimation point to my thought a moment later. "What the heck is a 'track' or a 'line' and what's this 'prototype'? What does this 'Doto' guy have to do with anything? You ain't makin' any sense!"

"You're not talking about 'tracks' or 'lines' in a traditional sense, that's for sure," Anko-sensei says. Her tone has darkened, and with that her voice has dropped just a bit in pitch. She's had enough of Yukie's games and is spoiling for a fight.

Yukie's eyes widen, and she turns to look at Anko-sensei. Yukie knows it's over. Her eyes make that clear.

"That little outburst shows you know a _hell_ of a lot more of what's going on here than you've been letting on," Anko-sensei snaps. She points her finger to the left, and I follow it, and she's pointing at a dark tunnel. "Where does this go? Who put these things here? And what is placed on these 'tracks'? Answer me right now, Yukie!"

"Busted, Yukie," Nanako grumbles.

Yukie's eyes shimmer. "I thought it would ever be ready. A prototype was being developed before the war. What we're standing on is not meant for horses and carriages, that's for sure. These tracks were constructed for the Land of Snow's newest technological breakthrough: the locomotive."

She lets that hang in the air for a second. I personally am just confused. What's a locomotive? How does it operate? Why does it need these 'tracks'? Why is she assuming we would know what this is?

"What's a 'locomotive'?" Anko-sensei asks.

"It's going to revolutionize travel," Yukie replies. "It can carry passengers or cargo across these tracks at consistent speeds unimaginable by horse. We are talking hundreds of people at once and many, many tons of cargo here at speeds approaching thirty or forty miles an hour, maybe even faster."

Anko-sensei's eyes widen. "You can use this to transport an army and all of the supplies they would need."

"That's right. Without a long march that would waste some of your supplies and exhaust the troops. The military potential for the locomotive is bound only by the tracks and where they lead," Yukie replies.

"Then why the heck are we seein' these tracks _now_?" Naruto shouts. "We coulda used one of those loco-thingies to come up here! Why weren't the loco-thingies down at the port?"

"We've probably stumbled on one of Doto Kazahana's private supply lines," Yukie replies. "Doto is not a man who uses inventions for the good of the people. He thinks of inventions as a way to benefit _himself_, by gaining and consolidating power. I would not be surprised if this line leads to a point where he's planning on launching an invasion of the Land of Iron."

"You speak if you know the ruler of the Land of Snow on a personal level," Anko-sensei says, her eyes narrowing.

Yukie doesn't answer.

I'm not in the mood to just hear silence from this woman. It's pretty clear we've walked into something far greater than we are. And it's worse than Yukie Fujikaze being in a hostage situation like Anko-sensei theorized. Much, much worse.

This has turned into the possibility of being dragged into a war or fighting to prevent one.

And Yukie Fujikaze knows a lot that the rest of us don't.

"Answer Anko-sensei," I say. "You know way too much about this and how it would work. Did you work on this 'locomotive' project? And how closely do you know Doto Kazahana?"

Nanako spits out her tongue at me. "Yukie doesn't have to answer you if she doesn't want to, stupidhead."

"_That's it_!" Naruto stomps over to Nanako. The girl sees him coming but can only take a couple of steps backward before Naruto grabs her by the shirt collar.

"I can't take your stupid _stupidness_ anymore!" Naruto shouts, staring into Nanako's eyes. "You and Yukie have been lying to us all this time! I want to know _right now_ or this mission's off!"

"Naruto," Anko-sensei says firmly. "That is _my_ call to make. Not yours. Put the girl down."

Hinata's run up to Naruto at this point. "Naruto, please."

Naruto growls, and then he drops Nanako to the ground. "Owie," Nanako moans, rubbing her behind with her hands.

"So, you'll just abandon me?" Yukie asks, tears in her eyes.

"Don't give me that sentimental garbage. You've been playing a character this whole time," Anko-sensei snaps.

Yukie's eyes widen, and Anko-sensei grins. "That's right. You've been portraying a character from one of the many plays you've done. In this case, this is one of your first leading roles, not many people know you've performed it. You played the female lead in a stage adaptation of "Make Out Paradise", and you've been inside the persona of that female lead ever since we met up with you, only breaking character to threaten Nanako."

"Make Out Paradise", written by "The Great Jiraiya", is one of the most widely-read and infamous novels ever published in the world. Beloved by many and despised by many others, it apparently is not allowed to be read by minors due to something adults don't like talking about. But I'm not oblivious to that "something". I know full well it's because of the sexual content in that book. I know that without reading a single page.

Yukie's eyes narrow, and then she smiles. Her voice has changed, it sounds _different_. Her voice is cold, so cold it sends shivers down my spine, and despite its youthful tone she sounds like she could be decades older than Anko-sensei. "I underestimated how many female fans that novel has, I see."

Anko-sensei chuckles. "This is the _real_ you, isn't it, Yukie?"

"You have a lot of nerve to call me out and criticize me for wearing a mask when you mask your true personality as well," Yukie replies. "I can sense the killing intent and bloodthirstiness inside you, Anko Mitarashi. _That_ is your true self."

"Nah," Anko-sensei replies, still smiling, but now there's a shade of darkness behind that smile. "That's just a part of me I choose to ignore nowadays. Though if you give me too much trouble or threaten my students, I'm gonna be tempted to let it out."

It's a duel of words, both women trying to ratchet up the stakes. Even Nanako seems to be bracing for a fight. I originally didn't figure Nanako to be a fighter, but her eyes have changed, just a bit. They've narrowed and hardened just like Yukie's. Nanako was putting on an act as well, playing the role of an obnoxious brat, perhaps a little _too_ well.

I keep my eye on the girl. If she so much as takes a single step towards my sensei, I'm putting a shuriken through her skull.

"So," Anko-sensei says. "Mind telling us what's really going on, Yukie Fujikaze?"

"Secrets," Yukie replies bitingly.

I wait for Anko-sensei to blow up at that remark, but Anko-sensei brushes it off with only an "I see".

"That's all you have to say?" Yukie asks.

"Pretty much, yeah," Anko-sensei says. "I have no problems abandoning you here. You have placed my students in danger. Between you and my students here, I would choose my student's lives over your lying ass any day."

Yukie's jaw clenches. "You're not going to be able to leave this land alive," Yukie replies coldly. "If you try, you and your precious students will _die_."

"And who's going to do the job?" A hint of condescension enters Anko's voice. "You?"

"Doto Kazahana," Yukie replies. "He will ensure that nobody can escape this land's borders. You may be good enough to escape with your life, but are your students?"

Anko-sensei's eyes narrow. I can see a hint of that murderous intent behind her eyes. "I think he might let us go if I bring him your head."

Hinata gasps when she hears that. Even Naruto looks shocked. "Anko, what are you saying?"

Anko-sensei holds up her hand. "Not now."

Nanako twitches as Anko-sensei gets closer, and I slowly put my hand inside my holster and grab a shuriken. I don't know if Anko-sensei has noticed that Nanako isn't what she seems. If Nanako tries something, I have to stop her before she can attack Anko-sensei.

I just hope that Anko-sensei isn't breaking her promise to us.

Yukie is starting to become afraid. I can see it in the way her eyes track Anko-sensei's body as she shifts closer to Yukie.

Anko-sensei is tougher to read. Everything I am seeing _visually_ points towards her drawing on her darker side. But that's not what I feel in a _spiritual_ way. Underneath the visual menace is something just as strong as that darkness, but it's _different_. It's lacking malicious intent, it feels more _protective. _It just feels too _pure_ to be the darkness.

Anko-sensei suddenly draws a kunai and places it right in front of Yukie's throat. Nanako twitches again and I draw the shuriken out of my holster. Nanako's brown eyes spot that and she stops before she takes a single step towards Anko-sensei.

As Anko-sensei and Yukie are dueling, so are Nanako and I. I can't think of this girl as seven years old. She is clearly no ordinary seven-year-old girl. It's clear, more than ever, that something is _off_.

Something was off from the very start and we never saw that because she was acting so obnoxious, she distracted us from realizing what that was.

Those are _not_ a seven-year-old's eyes. They're the eyes of a killer.

"Going to give into your darkness and murder me?" Yukie asks.

Anko-sensei's smile widens. "You'd love to think that, wouldn't you? That's how you'd justify dying right here and now. So even if you die right now, you'll shatter my team and their belief in me."

Anko-sensei swallows. "What you sense are my feelings toward my students. It's a kind of warmth, not a blazing fire like the darkness you sense. It's similar in a superficial way, but what powers it is _entirely_ different."

The kunai gets closer. Nanako doesn't move, so neither will I.

"You will tell me _everything_ or I will do what is necessary to save my students," Anko-sensei says with finalty.

I sense a massive spike of fear in Yukie, so sudden that I lose my focus, just for a second. It's not towards Anko-sensei either. It's something _else_.

"Sure," Yukie says. "After you make sure we don't die."

Anko-sensei's eyes widen and her smile falls. "W-What?"

"We're about to be attacked."

That's when it happens.

Suddenly, blades that look like crystal shoot out from the forest near us, and Anko-sensei grabs Yukie and leaps out of the way. Seeing that will leave Nanako exposed as well, I jump forward and grab Nanako, but then I feel something _wrong_.

I'm slipping.

Ice.

"Damn it, Sasuke! Chakra Chains Technique!" Naruto shouts.

I suddenly see a pair of chains come at me from my left and they wrap around me and then I feel a massive force yank me off my feet and I'm on the ground seconds later, Nanako in my arms, and the chains vanish.

Naruto has been practicing those chains for the last couple of months. He can only make two at a time and he can't hold the technique for very long, but those chains just came in handy. Big time.

Nanako squirms away. "Idiot! I could've saved myself!"

Naruto walks up to Nanako and bops her on the head. "Shut up! At least he was willing to save you, dumbass!"

Before anything else can be said, I see figures leap from the woods. "We can talk later. We have trouble."

I get up, and I see them. A violet-haired woman with her hair tied back in a ponytail, and a forehead protector with a musical note tied around her forehead.

They _all_ have forehead protectors with the same musical note tied around their foreheads. A tall girl with long dark hair. A boy not much older than us with long, spiky dark hair. And then a boy or young man with so much wrapping around him that I can't tell his age.

"Good going, sensei," the spiky-haired boy snaps. "Surprise attack didn't work."

"That's because I thought I was dealing with a mere actress," the violet-haired woman replies. "But it's clear that _we've_ been deceived too. Yukie Fujikaze knew we were there before we attacked. An ordinary actress wouldn't be able to sense us _period_, much less before a Konoha jonin."

Anko-sensei voice comes out sharply. "Manji Defense Formation! All of you, around Yukie! _Now_!"

We all know how to execute that defense formation. I take the center, standing in front of Yukie. Naruto guards the left, and Hinata watches the right. Only Anko-sensei stands independent of us, and it's clear that Nanako has vanished somewhere.

Anko-sensei's voice is firm. "Watch your rear! Don't assume these are our only opponents!"

The message is clear. Keep an eye on Yukie and Nanako, they might pull something. "Yes, Anko-sensei," I shout.

I hope Hinata and Naruto got the message as well, they can keep an eye on Yukie better than I can considering my back is turned to her. I should worry about Nanako more. She is not an ordinary girl. She's something else entirely. She could pull something to try to grab Yukie and run.

Where _is_ that crazy brat? I don't see her anywhere in the open.

Damn it. She's either hiding or preparing for a counter-ambush. And her targets could be _anyone_ at any time. She could strike our new opponents, or attack the three of us.

I have to be ready from every possible angle.

The violet-haired woman smiles. "So, since we were _both_ deceived, let's just cut all of the 'ninja deception' crap and have a fair fight over Yukie Fujikaze's life. My name is Guren, and I am a jonin of Oto, the Village Hidden in Sound. These are my genin: Dosu is the one with the wraps on him, Zaku is the boy who snapped at me, and Kin is the girl."

Oto? I've never heard of that village before. Where are _they_ from, and how far did they have to travel to find us?

"Really, Guren-sensei?" Zaku growls. "Why can't we just go ahead and kill 'em _now_? I want the short one with the idiotic look on his face. He's too stupid-lookin' to live."

After being told that by Nanako a few weeks ago, Naruto knows full well Zaku's talking about _him_. He just growls "He's mine."

"You were hired to kill Yukie?" Anko-sensei asks.

"Yes. It's not often that genin get assassination missions, but Oto wants all genin who are going to take the Chuunin Exams to attempt one," Guren replies.

"Good luck on getting into the Exams now. We're from Konoha. We're _hosting_ the next ones," Anko-sensei replies.

"We're not after you, we're just after the woman you're protecting," Guren replies curtly. "I have not permitted lethal force against the four of you. If you four wish to step aside and allow us to kill Yukie Fujikaze, no harm, no foul."

Anko-sensei laughs. "I don't see it that way. You're from some small village I know _nothing_ about. I've got no reason to trust you, so between bad and worse, I choose _bad_. Well, unless _bad _decides to stab us in the back."

The message to Yukie and the hidden Nanako is clear. Pull something and we're going to let these Oto ninja through. There's no way Yukie and Nanako are able to fight off these Oto ninja. If they could, they wouldn't have hired _us_ in the first place.

Guren sighs. "So be it. Could I at least have your names?"

"All you're gonna need is mine," Anko-sensei snaps. "My name is Anko Mitarashi, jonin of Konoha, and I'm going to end this with one move!"

She takes a step forward.

"She's up to something," Kin says.

"I know," Guren says. She looks somewhat amused. "One blow, Anko Mitarashi? Explain how you can do that."

"I didn't say 'one blow', I said 'one move'," Anko-sensei replies.

"Oh no," Naruto says all of a sudden. "Not the giant snake."

I can't see Anko-sensei's face, but I know she is grinning widely. "Damn straight it's the giant snake!"

She bites her thumb and places her right hand on the ground, and a glow shoots out from underneath her.

This isn't the first time Anko-sensei has summoned a snake. She's done it in the training grounds for us to practice attacking and defending against summoned creatures. It's the most intense training I've ever felt in my life, but it had been going pretty well until the snake wound up chasing us into Team 10's practice one day. The snake apparently decided that Choji Akimichi would make for a good snack, and Anko-sensei has been banned from summoning a snake for training purposes since then.

In seconds, Anko-sensei is on top of a giant blue snake, and the back of it forms right next to Naruto and us.

Yukie's voice comes from behind us, she sounds terrified. "G-Giant snake. Y-Your sensei can summon a giant killer snake."

"That's right," I tell her. "It's one of her 'secrets', speaking of those."

Anko-sensei begins shouting from on top of her snake. "All right! Let's do this, sweetie! You can eat the jonin but leave the genin alive, we're gonna need to question them!"

"'Sweetie'. Your sensei calls her giant killer snake 'sweetie'," Yukie mumbles.

"It _likes_ being called that," Naruto says. "That and 'snakey wakey'."

"Words fail me," Yukie groans.

"I know it's cold, sweetie," Anko-sensei says from on top of that snake. "We end this, you get a hot meal, and you can go back where it's warm."

A second passes. "Charge!" Anko-sensei bellows, and the giant blue snake responds, lashing out at speed faster than I've ever seen. Even faster than it did in training.

This is the full capabilities of that snake, unleashed all at once, on a foe it has been given explicit permission to eliminate. Compared to what it did against the three of us, it's clear the snake had been holding back then.

For a second, it looks like the Oto ninja are just going to stand there and let the snake have its way with them. But then the jonin, Guren, reacts.

"Crystal Style! Crystal Encampment Wall!" Guren shouts above the snake's rumbling.

All of a sudden, a massive wall of pink crystal rises right in front of the snake. There's no time for Anko-sensei to order the snake to stop. All it can do is just try to crash through.

There's a massive _crunch_ sound.

The wall stands, and the snake is stationary.

Then the snake falls to the right of the railroad tracks, landing in the ditch and crushing several trees in the forest next to us. Anko falls off the snake as well, and scrambles away from the pink crystal wall, heading back towards us.

"Damn it!" Anko-sensei shouts. "You just knocked my sweetie out cold! Who the hell are you?"

Guren's laughter is audible even from this distance and behind that crystal. "We're Yukie Fujikaze's assassins, that's what. And, for the record, _you_ knocked your 'sweetie' out cold. I just put up the wall for it to hit."

The wall suddenly vanishes, like it's going back into the ground. It's only at the very last second that I see the crystal's source is from the Oto jonin, Guren, herself. Her raw chakra is creating the crystal from scratch.

I've heard of many types of ninjutsu. But I've never heard of Crystal ninjutsu.

This means that this woman, Guren, is a total mystery to us and there's no way to guess what she can do.

But the same is also true of her genin. Do they know Crystal ninjutsu too? Or do they have other tricks up their sleeves? One thing's sure, they don't play by the typical rules for genin. Especially if they've been assigned assassination missions.

My heart begins pounding. Not good. This is _really_ not good.

The giant blue snake vanishes. Clearly Anko-sensei knows that it's not going to do any further good and has opted to send it back.

"All right!" Guren barks. "You know the backup plan, you three! Execute it! Let me worry about the Konoha jonin!"

"Sandayuu," Yukie growls. "Hurry up, _please_."

Sandayuu? Who's Sandayuu? Her assistant? Friend? Husband?

No, I can't worry about that! The Oto ninja are bracing themselves. They're about to strike.

I brace myself. Any second now, any second . . .

"Attack!" Guren shouts.

And then they come.

* * *

DUN DUN DUN.

Yes, me and my cliffhangers wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee


	27. Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow

dracoholo117: Expect more surprises from little Nanako very, very soon. *smiles*

Trubeque: It's not a fanfic without a gratuitous cliffhanger. XD Anyway, this cliffhanger is resolved, but . . . well . . . XD

Riku Uzumaki: Guren is one of my favorite "filler" characters in Naruto and I felt she should be involved a little more. Her Crystal ninjutsu is too interesting for me to not use either.

Anyways, enjoy

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow**

They're fast. Really fast. And, as they get closer, I notice they're taller than us. Older than us. Probably have more years experience than the my teammates and I put together.

Somehow, we have to win. Win without Yukie or Nanako stabbing us in the back.

I don't see any signs of a Clone or Substitution Technique. What we're seeing is what we're going to get.

Only chance I see is to scatter them and then each of us fight one of them at a time.

"Naruto, Hinata, pick a target!" I shout, as I make the horse and tiger hand signs, focusing my chakra inside my lungs. This will at least give them pause even if I don't hit any of them with this.

Wait for it. Wait for it . . .

Now!

"Fire Style! Fireball Technique!"

I shoot the chakra out of my mouth and it ignites upon hitting the air, rushing towards the three Oto genin. I see all three of them leap out of the way, as I expected.

Which one is closest to me. Which one?

The girl, Kin.

All right. I have no problems with hitting girls. Which will probably disappoint all of the girls who seem to worship me and the ground I step on.

Oh well.

I leap right for Kin and she sees me coming in mid-air. I grab her arms before she can do anything and kick her in the stomach. Kin blanches and she crashes to the ground, and I land right in front of her.

Now I need to pay attention. Just because I injured Kin doesn't mean Naruto and Hinata are winning. I must make sure none of the Oto genin are getting remotely close to Yukie, while at the same time, knock Kin out of the battle. Once Kin is out of the way, gang up on one of the other Oto genin, and when they're all defeated, help Anko-sensei finish Guren off.

It's the only plan I have, so this better work. Even though I wasn't able to tell Naruto and Hinata the plan.

She's on her hands and knees, her hands closing into fists half-buried in the snow. I can't let her recover.

I charge and kick her right in the head.

She rolls in the snow and flops on top of the tracks.

Not a bad start so far.

In front of me, behind Kin, Guren and Anko-sensei are attacking each other. Anko-sensei's attempting her version of a Dragon Flame Technique but Guren's not letting Anko-sensei get a chance to attack her with it. She's formed blades of that peculiar crystal on her arms and she's cutting Anko-sensei's cords whenever they get too close or attach to her.

What's going on behind me?

I turn around. Dosu's just tried to strike Naruto, but Naruto's dodged him easily. Hinata has her Byakugan engaged, even from this distance I can see the veins bulging around her eyes. Her opponent, Zaku, aims his arms at her, and suddenly I hear a noise so loud I want to cover my ears, and it seems to make the air tremble and shimmer. Like sound had become a visible entity.

Okay. So that's these Oto genin's games. They can make sound visible and use it as a weapon. Not surprising.

I'm about to turn back around to face Kin when I suddenly see Naruto's eyes widen and he falls to his hands and knees, vomit spewing from his mouth.

Dosu somehow beat Naruto without touching him.

I can hear Dosu chuckling all the way over here. "I don't need to touch you in order to hurt you, idiot."

Damn it! I'll worry about Kin later!

I grab a pair of kunai and throw them both at Dosu as I run forward. You would think Dosu would have a blind spot to his right, as the entire right side of his face is covered, but somehow he knows I'm coming and leaps out of the way.

I stand in front of Naruto, who's still on his hands and knees. "Naruto? What happened? Are you all right?"

"I can't stand up. So dizzy," Naruto moans.

Hinata's screaming from my left. My abandoning Kin's allowed her to gang up on Hinata with that Zaku boy. Hinata suddenly has a senbon sticking out of her right arm, and she yanks it out and tries to throw it right back at Zaku, who steps aside. Kin calmly steps in front of the senbon and catches it in mid-air, chuckling despite the blood trickling from her mouth.

In the distance, Anko-sensei and Guren are still going at it. Guren leaps over Anko-sensei and begins charging right for us.

Dosu turns towards his sensei. "Little help here?"

"I know. Crystal Style, Crystal Encampment Wall!" Guren shouts.

A massive wall, bigger than the last one, sprouts behind us, behind Yukie. Clearly intending to cut off any shot of escape.

Probably also cuts Nanako off. The little brat is nowhere to be found.

"What happened, Naruto?" I ask. "How'd he hit you?"

"I can't hear out of my left ear," Naruto complains as he staggers to his feet. "I just dodged him and then I couldn't stand up. It was like the entire world turned upside down."

The remark "I can't hear out of my left ear" tells me everything I need to know. Somehow Dosu punctured Naruto's eardrum. How, I don't know. But I can't let that happen to me.

For her part, Guren had to stop to perform her technique. She eyes me. "Well, well, well. You're an Uchiha, eh? Thought you were all dead."

What. The. _Hell_. "How do you know that?" I ask her.

"You'll never know. Especially after I'm through with you, Uchiha." Guren readies herself, but that's when Anko-sensei comes charging in from my right-hand side, moving faster than I've ever seen her move.

"Hands-Off-My-Beloved-Students-_Punch_!" Anko-sensei bellows as she suddenly gives Guren a full-force shot to the face that knocks Guren off her feet and sliding across the ground several feet.

"Huh. That's a new one," Dosu notes sardonically as he turns to watch Guren slide to a stop.

There. That's my opening!

I fling a pair of shuriken at him underhanded. I know he'll block them, but he'll still be off-balance!

He whacks them away with that metal arm of his, but he's left himself wide open!

I fill the chakra in my lungs, inhaling for a-

Crap, he's fast!

I stop in my tracks and jump out of the way as Dosu takes a swipe at me. My chakra dissipates.

That was too close for comfort-

Wait.

Why am I hearing _ringing_ all of a sudden?

My stomach. My head. They all _hurt_-

A massive force strikes me in the face.

Everything's spinning like I can't stop moving. But it's just my head. My body's motionless.

My stomach heaves. I want to throw up.

The ringing in my ears almost drowns out Naruto's voice. "Sasuke! Sasuke! He got you too?"

Damn it. I think I know what just happened.

He didn't need to _hit_ me in order to hit me. He used sound. He used a pitch of some kind to puncture my eardrums and make me lose my sense of balance as well as my hearing.

Come on. I gotta get my head screwed back on and quick.

Naruto's voice is clearer now. "Sasuke! I can keep him dancing around with the Chakra Chains but ya gotta get up, ya dumbass pretty boy!"

Damn it, Naruto. I can barely make sense of up or down at this point as it is. At least the ringing feels like it's going away, ever so slowly.

I turn my head to what I _think_ is my left, and I see the other fight, albeit with it moving back and forth like I'm being jerked around by an invisible force. Anko-sensei is charging towards Kin and Zaku then, throwing kunai at them. Kin dodges, Zaku gets one in the shoulder.

All right. Anko-sensei is helping Hinata. But that means Naruto and I are on our own.

Get up. _Get up_. Mother would be so _pissed_ at me right now over this one.

My legs don't want to keep their balance, they're shaking and quivering and it's not from the cold. But I look up just in time to see Naruto's Chakra Chains disengage, and Naruto's panting heavily. He can't keep it going for any longer.

Dosu chuckles. "You two have some interesting techniques. Too bad you can't use them if you can't tell up from down, right?"

"Shut up! You can change gravity for all I care, but you're going down! Believe it!" Naruto shouts.

I wish it was as easy as Naruto makes it sound.

Dosu sounds older than Naruto and I do. Perhaps older than his teammates. He sounds almost like an adult with his deep, rich type of voice. It could just because of the wrapping around most of his head, or he's using some kind of technique to sound older, but he is no ordinary genin. That much is sure.

And his right arm. It has the strangest-looking metal device that I have ever seen in my life, filled with seemingly a dozen or so holes, and he has claws on his right hand. His left arm, for that matter, is completely hidden under a loose sleeve. It's questionable whether he even _has_ a left arm, that sleeve is hanging so loosely.

"Naruto? Can you keep fighting?" I ask.

"Yeah. You done making snow angels?" Naruto asks as he turns to look at me.

"I'm good," I say as I walk to his left side, staring at Dosu, who seems to be sizing us up.

"Crystal Style! Crystal Needles Technique!" I can hear Guren shout from our left. I turn to see a blast of needles fly everywhere around the other battle. Guren has rejoined the fight, assisting Zaku and Kin against Anko-sensei and Hinata.

"Sasuke, I've got a plan," Naruto says suddenly.

"A plan?" While it's nice that Naruto actually has a plan, Naruto's strategies in training tended to be hit or miss. I'm a bit skeptical.

"All right, pretty boy. Take this. I'll hold him down, you take him out," Naruto says.

Suddenly, Naruto reaches into his backpack and tosses me four seemingly separate blades. But they're not ordinary blades.

They're the basis for the Demon Wind Shuriken, the Windmill of Shadows.

"All right," I say, as I build the giant shuriken in my hands. I place my left hand on it, fusing the two different shuriken together so they launch as one . . . but will rapidly become _two._

Shadow Shuriken Technique. I'm going to be firing more than one of them at once, and the other will lurk in the shadow of the primary shuriken, ensuring a hit without a hint of warning for the opponent.

"Chakra Chains Technique!" Naruto bellows, and he fires the Chakra Chains once again. There's considerable strain on his face as he launches his pair of chains. He can't hold it for much longer, it's draining him.

Dosu laughs. "_That_ again?" He jumps to my left to avoid the chains, but this works out for me.

I run forward and throw the Demon Wind Shuriken right at him.

Dosu's sole visible eye widens. "What the?"

He jumps to my right, right into Naruto's pursuing Chakra Chains.

"Damn it!" Dosu shouts as he's wrapped up in the chains and left dangling in mid-air.

And my other shuriken, the one lurking in the shadow, is coming right for Dosu's chest.

Dosu raises his metal contraption, and I realize it's a desperate manuever. He's sacrificing his weapon in exchange for the _chance_ of staying alive.

The shuriken slams right into his metal contraption, and the metal contraption explodes into shards that fly everywhere, including into Dosu's chest, and he screams in pain. The shuriken, for its part, loses its momentum and falls to the ground, but Dosu is left lying on the ground, squirming in pain, even after Naruto releases him from his Chakra Chains out of sheer exhaustion.

"Dosu! Dosu, I'm coming!" Zaku's voice, from the left.

He's running right by Yukie without giving her a second glance. He's forgotten all about murdering her in order to try to either rescue Dosu or avenge him.

He aims his hands at us. "Naruto, it's a sound weapon! Watch out!" I shout.

I can see the visible waves of sound coming right at the both of us. They're coming out of his hands!

I can see how he's doing it! He seems to be firing them from his palms, or under his arms! Like he's made them hollow somehow!

No time to dodge.

"Naruto! Down! Cover your ears!"

I dive into the snow and cover my ears, and I feel the sound pass over me.

Naruto's actually gotten out of the way. But then I see something I didn't expect at all.

The visible, shimmering sound waves _bounce_ off the crystal wall and hit Naruto dead-on. And then I feel it hit me too.

My brain, my head, my _everything_ feels like it's being torn apart!

Shake it off! Shake it off! Hurry!

I can hear Zaku laugh as I struggle to get up. "Forgot that sound echoes, don't you? I don't need to hit you the first time. All I need is to line you up and I hit you anyway thanks to my sensei's crystals!"

"Zaku, you fool!" Dosu shouts from the ground, as he's struggling with the shards of metal in his chest. "The woman! Kill the woman! You still have an opening!"

"What?" Zaku turns around and sees Yukie, who just _stares_ at him. I don't know whether she's trying to stare him down, is frozen in fear, or is resignedly accepting her fate.

I don't care how sick I feel in my stomach and how it feels like my brain's been turned upside down in my head! Until Anko-sensei's orders change, I have to protect her!

I take off, towards my Demon Wind Shuriken resting in the ground just as Zaku aims at Yukie. I feel my feet slip on ice or just out of losing my balance, but I line Zaku up. I have to throw it at a curve, though, or I'll hit Yukie if I miss.

Then I see my alternate target. Kin just moved into position, defending against Hinata, who looks bloodied but she's still fighting. I can hear Anko-sensei shouting things at Hinata as she and Guren continue their duel, probably encouraging Hinata to keep fighting.

I see it, just for a glimpse. The angle I need to perfectly nail in order to hit Kin if I don't hit Zaku.

I throw it.

It curves right towards Zaku as planned.

He sees it at the last second and jumps aside.

And it's right on track to hit Kin as I alternatively planned.

Come on. Come on. Stay focused on Hinata, Kin. Don't notice it coming behind you-

Damn it! She turned around!

She steps aside and my Demon Wind Shuriken just falls into the snow! It didn't work!

But then Hinata comes charging right in. "I won't let you hurt anyone _anymore_! Eight Trigrams! Thirty-two Palms!"

Kin spins back around just in time to be stuck over and over and _over_ by Hinata's fists, moving at a blur. "Two Palms! Four Palms! Eight Palms! Sixteen Palms! _Thirty-two Palms!_" Hinata shrieks as she pummels Kin in every part of her body.

Hinata then kicks Kin in the stomach and she topples to the ground.

"Damn it . . ." Zaku growls. "I'm all that's left."

It then occurs to me that Naruto's snuck up right behind Zaku. "Actually, you're wrong. You're already defeated, loser," Naruto says.

Naruto's crouched down behind Zaku. What is he . . .

Oh no. He can't be using _that_ technique, is he?

Zaku turns his head around but can do little else as Naruto unleashes _that_ technique right on target.

"Leaf Village Secret Finger Technique! _One Thousand Years of Death_!"

He sticks his fingers right up Zaku's ass.

They freeze, just like that, for a split second, like they've become a picture frozen in time.

And then Zaku's launched into the air, screaming at the top of his lungs, heading right towards where Kin is laying on the ground.

Kin sees him coming too. "Zaku, you idiot! Go splat somewhere _else_!" she shrieks in futility.

But it's to no avail. Zaku lands right on top of her, causing snow to fly everywhere.

We did it. We really did it. We beat all three of them. Hinata's exhausted and looks to be bleeding in her left arm and her head, Naruto's swaying like he can barely keep his balance, and I don't feel like standing up at all, but we won. Somehow, we won.

_Wait_.

Where's Guren, their sensei? I lost track of her in the-

Then I see her. Right behind Hinata.

No.

Stop.

Don't do it.

She grabs Hinata by her hair and puts her into a one-armed chokehold, and puts a blade of crystal right below her neck. Hinata screams in pain before she makes choking sounds. Her hands reach up to Guren's forearm holding her, but she can't make it budge.

She's choking. She can't breathe.

Damn it!

Get up. Get the hell up, you stupid body! Hinata needs me! I can't lay here being _useless_!

How dare you. How dare you do this. No one takes my teammates hostage! No one!

Come on. I know I have a pulsing headache throbbing in my brain. I know everything's aching. I know I'm having trouble hearing out of both ears and my left ear seems to be hearing more than my right. But I have to. I _must_ stand up. I have to help Anko-sensei rescue Hinata. I have to help Naruto rescue Hinata. The three of us can save her.

Anko-sensei stands there, looking tired as well. "Let go of her. Taking a _genin_ hostage is one of the most pathetic things you can do as a ninja."

Guren just laughs. "No, it's not. She's a full-fledged ninja now, Anko Mitarashi! Maybe if she was just a student you would have a point! But _genin_ are ninja, every much as you and I are! This is fair game!"

Anko's right arm reaches across and grabs her left wrist. "Let go of her, or you won't like what I'm going to do to you."

Something . . . feels weird in the air. It's like it's _charging_.

Starting to center around Anko-sensei's left hand.

Guren's eyes widen and her grin falls. "What is this?"

"You've heard of Kakashi Hatake, haven't you?" Anko-sensei shouts as the air feels more and more electrified all around her.

"Yes, I have," Guren says. "You attack me with whatever trick you're using from him and I'll cut this girl's throat!"

Anko-sensei responds in the most unexpected way. She _chuckles_. "You won't have time to."

Then a dark flash appears in her left hand.

What is this? I've never seen anything like it! Or _heard_ anything like it. It sounds almost like _birds chirping_. My hearing must be _really_ screwed up, that doesn't sound like electricity at all, and yet that is clearly what Anko has in her left hand! A solid blast of electricity!

Guren, for the first time, sounds afraid. "Impossible. Not _Chidori_. No way."

Anko-sensei sets herself, her feet digging into the snow. "Nothing is impossible."

"Believe it!" I hear Naruto shout in the distance, seemingly in response to Anko-sensei. I turn towards where Guren is standing, and Naruto's snuck up right behind her.

How does he do that? He wears an _orange jumpsuit. _It should be impossible for him to sneak up on anyone! But he's done it twice, to Zaku _and _Guren!

Maybe he really can be a good ninja, if he can sneak up on people despite wearing orange. I've been underestimating him for far too long.

"Dead last", the derogatory nickname the other students at the academy gave him among others, no longer applies, that's for sure.

Naruto's two Chakra Chains shoot out from his body and with clearly all of his strength he pulls Guren away from Hinata.

"Get her, Anko!" Naruto shouts as the chains fade away and he begins to fall to the ground.

Anko-sensei smiles. "On it, soul brother."

And then she stops talking and _acts_.

She takes off at a speed I didn't know was humanly possible. Is this one of Kakashi's techniques? He passed it on to her? No wonder Konoha views Kakashi as a legend! If Anko-sensei can move this fast despite her likely lack of experience with this "Chidori" technique, Kakashi must move as fast as lightning itself!

The word "Chidori" also tells me that I'm hearing what I think I'm hearing. "Chidori" means "One Thousand Birds". What I'm hearing from Anko-sensei's electricity sounds like an entire flock of birds, maybe many flocks, coming right at Guren, ready to swarm her.

Guren screams "Crystal Style! Crystal Armor!"

Her body is suddenly covered in crystal. She's given up any hope of dodging Anko-sensei. She's just hoping to weather it like her wall weathered Anko-sensei's snake.

Anko-sensei comes right at Guren's chest and slams her fist of dark blue lightning right into it.

At first, it looks like the crystal armor will take it. But then, underneath the sounds of distorted birds . . . I hear a _crack_.

Wait. I see it too. _All_ of it, cracking steadily little by little. The Chidori is just too much, even for Guren's crystal armor.

"No," Guren breathes.

Then it shatters and Anko-sensei puts the blast on Guren's shoulder.

Guren screams so loudly it echoes on the mountains around us.

Blown off her feet, she somersaults several times, bouncing past Dosu and even Yukie before crashing into her own crystal wall, which fades as Guren lays limp on the ground.

Anko-sensei stands there, holding her left wrist, panting loudly. That had drained her. Drained her a _lot_. I'd be surprised if she could do it again.

But what a technique! I had seen it all. How she had done it! She had used her right hand to accelerate the chakra flowing into her left hand, which she turned into electricity and then used what chakra she had to spare to augment her speed when she runs. The result is an attack that moves faster than most humans can react.

But . . . there's a flaw. I look in the snow, and I realize what it is. Anko-sensei _can only move in a straight line_. She has no room to manuever while she's running. She's just going too fast to be able to change direction.

I'm not even sure if she can stop until she hits something.

Wait . . . how do I know this? Just from watching . . .

Did I?

Did I really just . . .

No. Worry about it later. Anko-sensei's really exhausted. I have to get to her. Hinata and Naruto don't look like they can move.

I force myself to walk over to her. "Anko-sensei," I say. My voice sounds louder and not as muffled. My hearing must be starting to come back.

"Sasuke," Anko-sensei turns to me, and then she smiles. It's that warm, mature, sensei smile that makes everyone think everything will be okay. It just _eases_ the tension I feel like I'm wrapped up in a warm blanket.

"You did well. All of you," Anko-sensei says.

"Thanks," I manage.

"Tend to Naruto and Hinata and get by Yukie. And watch her. Watch her _close_. I think you're the only one who can still fight besides me," Anko-sensei says.

I honestly don't feel up to another fight, but as I look around, I realize that Anko-sensei is telling the truth. Just by the virtue of me being able to stand up, I can see that.

"I can see that. Hinata's bleeding in multiple spots and Naruto just looks completely _drained_," I say.

"That's right. So if Yukie tries something, or that brat Nanako, you need to make sure Hinata and Naruto are safe. I'll be interrogating these Oto bastards in the meantime," Anko-sensei says as she begins shuffling off towards Guren's limp body.

"Did you kill her?" I ask.

"I have no clue," Anko-sensei says. "If I did, it makes everything easier, as harsh as it sounds."

As much as I hate to say it, what Anko-sensei is saying is the truth. Guren is still a jonin. She can bounce back quicker than any of the genin under her command if she's still alive

"I get it," I say, and I look over towards Naruto, then over at Hinata, who is on her knees, tears in her eyes as she's messing with multiple senbon stuck in her.

They're my teammates. And if something else goes wrong, all they have is _me_.

This is my new objective. Protecting them.

My teammates. My . . . my . . .

It hits me then. What they are to me now.

_Friends_.

* * *

I don't know many healing techniques. The best I can do is use my limited knowledge of medicinal herbs and my more thorough first aid knowledge to help Naruto and Hinata out the best I can. I've managed to wrap all of Hinata's wounds in bandages with a herbal gauze on the inside meant to accelerate the healing process. Naruto . . . Naruto, besides some bleeding from his ears (just like me), is just exhausted. His chakra control is the worst out of all of us, he wastes more than he should for his techniques, which, now that I think about it, is probably part of the reason why he did badly in the academy. And those Chakra Chains just _drain_ him like nothing else I have ever seen.

"Feelin' better, Hinata?" Naruto asks from the tree I have him leaning against.

"Better now that I know you're okay," Hinata says softly.

I smile. Naruto is oblivious, but that's all right. He'll understand. Somehow. Some day.

Then I turn back towards Yukie, who is just slumped against a tree, her head down and arms around her knees.

She looks up at me, and gives me a glare. "Stop looking at me like I intend to kill you."

"We don't trust you," I say. "You lied to us. And I'm sure Nanako isn't what she seems either."

Yukie raises an eyebrow.

"I saw her eyes, Yukie. Those are not a child's eyes. Those are eyes of someone far older."

"I noticed you figured me out!" shouts Nanako's voice from behind Yukie.

She walks out from the edge of the forest. She has this _smirk_ on her face that just plain looks _arrogant_. A far more adult word than "brat" for what has to be an adult hiding in the form of a child.

"Who are you?" I ask, readying for a fight.

Nanako chuckles. "My real name is Nana. Nana Fujikaze. Yukie here just _borrowed_ my last name."

"Nana?" I ask.

The girl readies herself. "Land of Snow transformations aren't quite like your own. They're more _permanent_ in a way. I can't just go 'poof' between forms like you ninja can. But the benefit is that you can't just turn off my transformation either."

"What are you talking about?" Hinata asks.

The girl smiles. "Just watch. You'll see."

Her eyes widen. "Uhn! Agh!"

The girl falls on her hands and knees, groaning and crying out in pain. But then, I hear it. Bones _cracking_.

It happens quickly. A girl turning into a woman. As her child clothes tear apart smoke flashes around the girl, and I see white cloth and turquoise armor appear. From that point on, it's just the woman growing into her armor, until she appears to be a surprisingly pretty young woman in her late twenties with long brown hair.

I can't help but stare as the woman casually ties her hair back into a ponytail, her transformation complete. "So, I'm sure you prefer this over 'Nanako' already."

She grins at us. "Am I right?"

Naruto just babbles gibberish behind me before he finally forms a complete sentence. "You-you coulda helped us out the entire time, you jerk! Why did you let us-"

Nana just gives Naruto a _look_, and Naruto stops talking. "That crystal wall cut me off from the rest of you. I couldn't do a single thing to help."

"You're a samurai," Hinata gasps.

"That's right," Nana says, putting her right hand on her sword. "I am. One of the last samurai in the Land of Snow."

Once I'm sure that I won't start babbling like Naruto, I ask my own question. "Then what is Yukie's real name, if she 'borrowed' yours, Nana?"

"I think 'Yukie' can answer that question herself," Nana replies curtly, turning her head towards the other woman sitting on the ground, seemingly staring into space.

"Well?" I ask.

Yukie looks up to me, but then I hear the oddest howling of wind I have ever heard.

"They're here," Nana says, drawing her sword.

"Who?" Naruto asks.

"The ninja Doto Kazahana used to destroy the samurai of the Land of Snow," Nana growls.

That's when _they_ appear, out of a momentary blizzard that came out of nowhere. Three people, two men and a woman.

"Well, what do we have here?" the man in front asks. "Children and one of the last of a dying breed. You've fallen on hard times to rely on such a pathetic group of people."

He seems to be addressing _Yukie_. Why?

Wait. Something's wrong.

They have Anko-sensei. She's been taken hostage herself! The big man has her! And she's bleeding all over her abdomen, under her flak vest!

The big man takes Anko-sensei and throws her right at us and Anko-sensei crashes to the ground, landing right in front of my feet.

Anko-sensei's hurt. She's holding her side. They slashed her. She needs first-aid _now_.

"Sorry," Anko-sensei whispers. "Caught me off guard. That's all."

The man in front smiles. "I'd philosophize some more, but I won't make the same mistake those asinine Oto ninja did! I'll just kill all of you right now! Ice Style! Tsubame Blizzard!"

"Tsubame Blizzard!" the woman and the big man shout in unison, and then I see it. Icicles, hundreds, ever _thousands_ of them, forming everywhere into sharpened blades in the shapes of swallows. They look more like _glass_ than ice.

Nana Fujikaze steps forward. She's ready to shield us the best she can, but that's going to come at the cost of her own life, and she won't save more than a couple of us.

But then, just as the innumerable ice swallows start flying right at us, I see a figure jump right in front of us and knock Nana to the ground with a shove.

It's a woman with long red hair tied into a ponytail, a forehead protector tied around her forehead, though with her back turned I can't see what her allegiance is.

She raises her left hand and opens it right in front of the ice.

And then she speaks, and I realize who she is.

It's not Mother. It's . . . someone else's mother. Someone who has been in my life for the last four years.

Ever since she saved my life in my own home.

"Ninja Art! Teleportation Barrier!" Ms. Kushina Uzumaki shouts, and then a dark purple glow washes out everything in front of us.

"Mom," Naruto says, struggling to his feet. "It's you. It really _is_ you."

The dark purple glow vanishes, and then Ms. Uzumaki lets out a battle cry, and I hear a distant explosion to the right.

Not a single ice shard got through. Ms. Uzumaki sent it all somewhere else.

The three ninja clad in white stare at Ms. Uzumaki in complete shock. Ms. Uzumaki, to her part, turns her head towards us, just a little. I can just make out her kind, still-youthful face.

Her voice is gentle, reassuring. "I can take it from here. You all just stay safe. I'm proud of all of you . . . well, besides _you_, Nana. You managed to get on _my_ nerves and you never got to talk to me personally."

"Shut up, I was playing a character," Nana growls from the ground.

Her face turns in the other direction, looking at Yukie. Now she doesn't sound so gentle. Her voice reminds me more of _steel_. "You and I will be talking later. Count on it."

Yukie just looks down, staring at her knees.

Finally, Ms. Uzumaki turns to face the enemy ninja, and takes a single step forward, before adapting a fighting stance. Her voice is strong. The strongest I have ever heard from her.

And without having to see her face, I know she has to be giving those three people a confident smile that only an S-class jonin can give.

"Your opponent will be me."

* * *

Next chapter, there will be much badassery. Promise.


	28. Fire and Ice

SPECIAL UPDATE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK: There will be three updates this week, including this one. There will be an update on Wednesday and another on Friday. This is due to personal reasons.

LazyJordan: I explained in PM my reasoning for there being a Sasuke POV. Anyway, we're back to Kushina for a while. Sasuke is, and always will be, a secondary POV in this fic.

dracoholo117: More surprises to come, but Nana's revealed her only surprise of the fic.

Riku Uzumaki: You'd be surprised.

Jake A Lara: I'm glad you enjoyed the fight scene. I consider battle sequences one of the weak links in my writing so I'm glad it came across well. I'm also glad you enjoyed the Fuu/Kushina chapter. I'm trying hard to make it believable.

Trubeque: What you're seeing here is NOTHING. Kushina's Angry Mom no Jutsu is perhaps the most terrifying thing in this world. Even Madara might cower in fear from it. XD

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Fire and Ice**

_Kushina Uzumaki_

It had been right after I returned to Konoha, mere _days_, truthfully. Hiruzen kept summoning me into his office every day, going over my exile, catching me up on everything that had happened in the last eight years. He also had me demonstrate what I had learned in my years outside the village. He had been stunned to see that I had picked up Wind ninjutsu and had even managed to put up a passable rendition of Minato's Rasengan.

I was expecting to have to do more of that when I came to Hiruzen's office for the fifth day in a row. Hiruzen had been cold, business-like to me, the previous four days. Not that I was expecting him to be happy with me. His wife had died after delivering my child, and I had killed ten citizens of Konoha and maimed dozens more in my rampage.

"Ms. Uzumaki," had been Hiruzen's term for me. It had been shocking, considering Hiruzen and I had been on first-name basis. I had considered him a friend. Instead, he was addressing me as a _stranger_. It just made everything _hurt_, and I had to fight through the pain in my chest, the mist that kept trying to overcome my eyes, as I told Hiruzen everything, as he told _me_everything in turn, and I demonstrated all of my abilities to in.

So it was a big surprise that when I came in, he finally called me "Kushina".

"Lord Hokage?" I asked, surprised at hearing my first name uttered by him again.

Hiruzen _smiled_. "It's all right, Kushina. This is not business. This is personal. We are addressing each other as old friends here."

The nervousness inside me that had been worsening with every visit that week eased. "Thank you, Hiruzen."

Hiruzen sighed. "I apologize for treating you coldly. If I coddled you there's no way you would have been able to concentrate on anything either of us said to each other or on your techniques."

As usual, Hiruzen had an ulterior motive for everything. "I understand, Hiruzen."

"How's Naruto?" Hiruzen asked.

"He's been wonderful," I replied, speaking the truth. "I can finally look at him without wanting to cry now. Hiruzen-"

"I know how you feel, Kushina. This is why I avoided personal conversation in the days prior. You would babble," Hiruzen said, still smiling, his harsh voice still sympathetic, taking the edge off his words.

"Hiruzen?" I asked, confused.

"Kushina, you don't need to tell me how you feel. I know how you must feel. I've known you for many years. I can see it in your body language, read it on your face. You are a caring person filled with regret. And I'm glad you are. You have not let your isolation rob you of your humanity," Hiruzen replied.

"In all honesty, I'm surprised no one sought to find me earlier," I said. It had been something I had been wanting to discuss with someone for a while, but felt uncomfortable mentioning.

"I sent many missions to find you over the last few years, Kushina. But they all turned up with nothing, and I received word that many of our ninja would refuse to take part or lead the missions astray to ensure you would not be found," Hiruzen said.

I had figured as much, and I couldn't meet Hiruzen's gaze upon hearing my suspicions confirmed. All I could think about was that I had gotten my wish, about never being found. I was not found because people despised me. What a horrific wish I had made. I just felt empty upon hearing that.

No wonder they had finally sent Mikoto along on a retrieval team even though she was just a civilian. By having her with, they could ensure that I would be found, because Mikoto was my friend. She would make _sure_ that I would be found. Because she was one of the few people left who sincerely cared about me.

"I will admit to being lost in grief over Biwako for several years," Hiruzen said. Even though his face remained its usual steely self, there was one crack in his facade: the trembling of his hands. "I did not try to provide for Naruto the way I should have. He is Biwako's legacy as much as yours and Minato's. It was not until the incident with Anko and the storeowner that I honestly realized how neglectful I had been with the boy."

He sighed. "I should apologize to you over that, Kushina. I failed your son."

Hearing that didn't make me feel better. Why should I have felt better? Why should I have felt justified in being apologized to? It didn't change the real fact that it was all _my_ fault. Whatever wrongs Hiruzen had committed paled in comparison to my own. If I had stayed in Konoha, Naruto never would have been put in the position to be neglected in the first place.

Still, I knew Hiruzen would not let it go until I accepted it. "Apology accepted, Hiruzen. What you need to apologize for is paltry compared to my own, though."

"Don't worry about that," Hiruzen said, and he grunted as he got up behind his desk. "There is something I have to show you, Kushina. Something Minato had entrusted to me but due to your absence I could not give it to you until now."

"Yes? What is it?" I felt a sudden rush of energy fill me. Minato left something to me? How? Had he survived or wrote something in a will?

"He was saving this for your next birthday, he made it himself specifically for you," Hiruzen said. "The seal on it is constructed to only activate with the signature chakra of an Uzumaki clan member. You will not be able to use this if you're relying on the Nine-Tails' chakra."

"It's a weapon, then?" I ask as Hiruzen walks over to a spot on the wall right in front of me.

"Superficially, yes," Hiruzen said, and he placed his hands over the spot in the wall.

A seal suddenly appeared, and then a small, thin, black box emanated into existence in Hiruzen's grizzled hands.

He turned to me, the box still in his hands. "Open it, Kushina."

I reached out to the box and removed the lid, and then I saw something I had not expected.

"It's just a handle for a katana," I said, staring at the dark handle with red trim.

"Take it and infuse it with your chakra," Hiruzen replied.

I did so, handling it for a moment, before I checked the end of the handle and saw a seal emblazoned on it.

"Go ahead, Kushina," Hiruzen said knowingly.

I did so, touching the end and forced my chakra through the handle.

That's when a blade of fire ignited in front of my eyes, catching me completely off guard and I nearly dropped it out of shock.

"Minato called it the Habanero Ninjatou," Hiruzen said softly. "It's a short sword, shorter than a katana, but meant to be used in the same way, but it's supposed to be wielded easier by a fast, agile user. Ideal for ninja."

"The Habanero Ninjatou?" I asked dumbly, slowly waving the blade of fire back and forth, careful to not let it touch anything. Why would he call it a name like . . .

It hit me then. _Oh, Minato_.

It was then, for the first time in eight years, that I recalled my childhood nickname. The Red-Hot Habanero. It would figure that Minato would name a blade of fire after my childhood nickname. A blade made of fire for the girl with the fiery personality he had loved so much.

That was how he was. He had a personal touch to everything he did for anyone. It didn't matter who it was for. Whatever Minato did, he did it in a way that made people feel like he was their closest friend.

And, in his intimate, personal way, he had made a sword specifically for _me_.

"Hiruzen . . . I don't know what to say," I said as I held the sword. "Besides asking how to extinguish the fire, anyway. I would like to set it down without setting something on fire."

Hiruzen chuckled. "Just touch the seal and retract the chakra." "I can do that?" I handled the seal, and I sensed the chakra lurking inside the blade. I attempted to extract the chakra, and was surprised to feel it leave the ninjatou with total ease. The blade vanished from existence, just leaving the handle.

Hiruzen chuckled again. "Your husband was a brilliant young man, Kushina. This was the last thing he ever made. He told me that it was so you could protect the people of Konoha, and defend your son, if he was not available to do so. It's a weapon meant to be used in dire circumstances, when you can't or _won't_ use the Nine-Tailed Fox's power."

I gripped the handle tightly, and then stared at the seal one last time. Minato . . . at least this way, he would always be with me. Something of his would always be in my life, even if I never used the blade again.

He had made this for _me_ and I was going to treasure it.

I placed the handle back inside the box and then took the box from Hiruzen. I felt an ache form around my eyes, and I found myself blinking away tears. It made me not feel as alone, holding this handle. This was Minato thinking of me, creating something specifically for _me_. So he could guard me and our son if he was not there for us.

Which he was not. He had not been for eight years. He was gone, forever, a fragment only seen in memories and occasional dreams of him standing in a golden haze, his back eternally turned to me.

"Thank you, Hiruzen," I say. "Thank you for letting me have this."

"Don't thank me," Hiruzen says. "Thank Minato. He was the one who intended you to have it. I was a mere courier."

I felt a small smile creep on my face, a smile whose source I could not fathom. "Then thank you for being the courier, Hiruzen. And don't refuse that. You did not have to give this to me."

"It's _Minato_ who is giving this to you," Hiruzen reminds me. "Whether you accept it or not is entirely up to you."

I take one last look at the box, containing Minato's last gift towards me.

I blink away the final tears in my eyes.

"I accept it."

* * *

"Your opponent will be me."

I am sure to the people behind me, I must sound like what Naruto calls a "badass". But the truth is, I'm nervous.

These three are _not_ Hisame and her stooges. They're on another level. Especially if they could sneak up on Anko and dispatch her in mere seconds.

I take a look towards Anko, who's lying on the ground, clutching her side. "I apologize for not intervening sooner, Anko. If I did I was sure they'd kill you on the spot."

"Stop apologizing and kick their asses, Kushina," Anko says through clenched teeth.

Typical Anko. Still, she's right. "Then that's what I'll do."

The lead man, a tall, slender person with long silver hair and a bit of a smarmy, yet somewhat handsome look on his face, just smiles. He can't help but look condescending. The violet-haired woman behind him isn't much better.

He speaks. His voice is a low timber, smooth and confident. "_You_ think you can defeat us? You're aware it's three against one?"

"I am," I reply.

I hear footfalls behind me. I know without looking it's Fuu. "Fuu, don't even think about it. You, Sasuke, and Nana just stay here and guard the others in case one of them gets past me."

"Dang it!" Fuu grumbles, and I hear her stomp her foot in the snow.

Nana grunts as she stands up beside me. "Are you _sure_ about this, uh . . ."

"My name is Kushina Uzumaki," I reply.

The lead man chuckles. "An Uzumaki, eh? I haven't heard that name in a long time. I thought the name had vanished with the downfall of Uzushio, the Hidden Eddy Village, all those years ago."

Uzushio. That's a name I haven't heard in a long time. "Just because the village was destroyed doesn't mean the clan died with it," I reply.

"Oh, the clan's dead. It just hasn't taken affect yet," the man says. "We saw to it _personally_, as a matter of fact."

He's trying to enrage me. "The destruction of Uzushio was many years ago. Judging my your appearances, I'd doubt you'd be more than genin at the time."

"That doesn't mean we didn't kill Uzushio genin, Kushina Uzumaki," the man says with that cruel smile.

I'm not going to fall for it. I can tell he's lying. His eyes are moving to the left, just a little, and his voice is just a _little_ too halting to be convincing. He's just trying to dress himself up, to enrage me into making a mistake. It's a good tactic, and it would get the best of many, many other ninja. But it's not going to affect me. The memories of Uzushio will _not_ be used as a weapon against me, especially from a _liar_.

"May I ask you your names? It's only fair, as I've revealed mine," I reply.

The slender man smiles. "Nadare Roga."

The woman. "Fubuki Kakuyoku."

The big man. "Miyore Fuyukuma."

I drop my pack onto the ground. "Thank you. And now . . . I'm going to even the odds right _now_."

They're using Ice techniques. This makes fire a necessity, unless I want to keep casting Teleportation Barriers.

Ever since that mission to Taki, I've been bringing this with. I had never brought this with me before on missions, I had kept it in the house, as an heirloom, treating it more like a precious ornament than anything else. But after the Nine-Tails and its influence on me that day, I've been bringing it along. It is a restraint beyond just the seal, as it will not work if I draw upon the Nine-Tails' chakra.

And, considering they've all drawn their own ninjatou, I might as well do the same.

I take the handle of the Habanero Ninjatou out into the open, and place my hand on the seal on the bottom end.

Fubuki actually laughs. "You're going to fight us with a _handle_?"

"Partially," I reply. "It's necessary to hold the blade in the first place."

I channel my chakra into the seal and a blaze of fire erupts from the ninjatou, forming the blade.

Nadare's eyes widen, and his smarmy, overconfident smile falls for the first time. "Impossible! There's no way fire can respond that way! It's uncontrollable! It's like it's become solid!"

"The fire isn't solid. My _chakra_ is," I reply. "My chakra is what this fire feeds off of. It's my chakra in a physical state, giving me a blade on which this fire can exist."

"You could've just said 'nothing is impossible' and been done with it," Anko says from behind me.

Thanks for ruining the moment, Anko. The truth is, I'm just running my mouth off to keep my nervousness down. These people are much stronger than they're letting on.

I need to even these odds and quickly.

The woman, Fubuki, her guard's not up. I'll take her out _first_.

"Ninja Art! Heat Wave Technique!" I bellow, and I blast my chakra into the blade and take a swing right at Fubuki.

I've channeled wind-based chakra with the blazing fire, creating a vicious slash of heat. Fubuki's eyes widen as she realizes I've bypassed Nadare and aimed right for her, but she can't do anything as the wave hits her dead-on and knocks her into the air.

Nadare and Miyore only stare in shock as Fubuki rolls to a stop, grabbing her face, screaming in agony.

I've given her some vicious burns. She won't be getting up from _that_ for a while.

Now to do the same to these two, while they're still in shock!

I rip out cord and send it right at the big man, Miyore. The cords ensnare his arm and he gasps in surprise.

"Fire Style! Dragon Flame Technique!"

I breathe fire onto the cords and send it right at Miyore. The big man struggles in vain to shake the cords off, but the fire's already onto him before he even has a chance. He's engulfed and he screams as he rolls onto the ground, trying to get the flames off of him.

Nadare spins back around. "What the hell?"

"The odds are more even now, aren't they?" I reply. I don't feel as nervous now, not with both Fubuki and Miyore rolling on the ground.

Nadare growls. "Shut up!"

He moves as if to rush me, but then I charge at him at the same time.

We slash at each other all over the field, Nadare backpedaling frantically as I press him. I am not the best swordswoman, but I can hold my own, especially when I have the initative.

Nadara leaps into the air to try to get away from me, landing on a high branch in a tree. I just mimic his movements, chasing right after him, attacking trees and everything else in my path to get at him.

Just keep attacking him. That's all I need to do. I've turned his own strategy right back at him, and he'll make a mistake as long as I don't give him a _moment_ to breathe.

No fear. No fear of his ninjatou's steel. And no fear of his ice techniques. As long as he's just trying to stay alive, he won't have time to use ninjutsu!

I've pinned him to a mountain. Nadare leaps onto the mountain and lunges right at me. I block the blow, but I realize quickly that Nadare's retaken the offensive.

I'm _just_ a bit faster than he is, I realize as I leap through the trees, dodging his swipes. That might give me an opening that-

There!

I build the chakra in my lungs. "Wind Style! Air Bullets Technique!"

Nadare leaps high above me, dodging my barrage of raw, compressed air. I realize after a second that he's leaping _right over me_.

He lands a distance away. "Ice Style! Tsubame Blizzard!"

_That_ again? I halt myself as I see the snow and ice coalesce into the sky, forming those sharpened swallows once again.

It's not going to work a second time, Nadare, not if it failed to work the first time!

"Ninja Art! Teleportation Barrier!" I shout, putting my left hand in front of me and activating the seal I inked on it.

The dark purple glow swells in front of me, and I _feel_ the swallows enter it all at once.

I have an ideal location, distantly, on the other side of the forest, far away from the others. _Go there_.

The dark purple glow vanishes, and I wait to hear the explosion once again.

That's when I suddenly see Nadare's right in front of me.

Crap!

I jump to the right, but I _feel_ that blade go through part of my left arm. Even with adrenaline helping to mask the pain, I grit my teeth to keep from screaming. I feel like I've been _scalded_ somehow in addition to being cut.

Nadare _is_ on another level. He _knew_ I would just use the Teleportation Barrier again. He just waited right outside the barrier, and waited for it to fall so he could rush in and try to stab me through the chest.

He leaps onto the top a tree, and uses it as a spring to come right back at me.

I will have _none_ of it.

No time to grab cord. And Air Bullets aren't going to do me much good. I heat the quickly gyrating chakra in my lungs instead. "Fire Style! Fireball Technique!"

I spew a wave of fire right at Nadare, and he _barely_ manages to get out of the way in time. He charges below me, his clothes smoking just a little, hinting I still managed to burn him, albeit lightly.

He lands on one of the lower branches, patting his right shoulder where most of the smoke was coming from. "A technique from the legendary Uchiha clan? You _are_ full of surprises, Kushina Uzumaki!"

"My best friend is from the Uchiha," I reply. "You really think she wouldn't teach me that technique?"

"Hmm." Nadare just smiles. "You make for an interesting opponent indeed. You don't fall for my taunting and words, you use techniques an Uzumaki would ordinarily _never_ learn, and somehow, you have formed a blade of fire. You're unique. _Special_. A shame you have to die in order for me to fulfill my objectives."

"Is that supposed to be some kind of compliment?" I ask.

Nadare chuckles. "Take it however you like."

I hear branches snapping to my left. I spin, putting my hand on the seal on my ninjatou, infusing it with more of my chakra.

It's Fubuki, her face a disfigured, blistering mess, charging at me with murder in her madness-and-agony-filled eyes. "You _bitch_!"

I jump to another tree, and let Fubuki fly past me and she lands on another tree, precariously keeping her balance.

"My face! You will _pay_ for what you did to my face with your _life_!" Fubuki shrieks.

"Your face? She will pay for my body!" snarls a voice, this time from _behind_ me.

I turn, and there's Miyore, his body still smoking, his clothing, particularly on his left side, looking like it's been granted onto his skin. He's been burned at least to the second-degree in many spots.

Nadare chuckles. "Well now, the odds have changed once again, Kushina Uzumaki. It's been fun-"

"Shut up about your goddamn odds," Fubuki growls. "If you knew when to keep your mouth shut, she wouldn't have gotten the jump on us in the first place!"

"Actually," Nadare says, "If you had kept your guard up you could have dodged her attack, Fubuki."

"How dare you!" Fubuki screams.

She's left herself wide open once again. It's her fatal flaw. She can't maintain her focus.

"Ninja Art! Heat Wave Technique!" I shout, slashing at her once again with the superheated air.

Fubuki's eyes widen, and then she leaps away but I see the wave clip at her. She shrieks like a forsaken banshee as she spirals through the air, crashing into a tree and barely catching herself before taking a long fall to the ground.

The rest of the slash cleaves the top of the tree she had been standing on, leaving a small fire in its wake.

Actually, it occurs to me that I've put a small part of this forest on fire. The cold and snow is helping to keep it from going out of control, but if I keep throwing fire everywhere I _will_ wind up creating an out-of-control blaze.

If these ninja have reinforcements, I am basically telling them where I am.

Nadare chuckles. "See? She just did it to you _again_, Fubuki!"

Fubuki just growls.

I need to focus. All three of them are here now, and I'm outnumbered. And considering how well Nadare has been doing against me so far, if Miyore and Fubuki get over themselves, and if they have anywhere near the ability Nadare has . . . I'm actually in trouble.

But I can't worry about that. I can't. I'll make it work, like I have always made it work on missions. Focus, and _listen_. Listen for their movements, their breathing. And then use my eyes to pinpoint their attack angles and counter every move they make.

If they attempt to use Tsubame Blizzard again, I'm going to have to try to dodge it, without using the Teleportation Barrier. The barriers I have to make are so enormous that they block out my sight. Nadare will just do what he did _last_ time, and his teammates will join him.

Unless . . . well, maybe I can have a nice little fireball ready for them next time.

My left arm still is hurting. It's healing, but Nadare left a severe gash on it. It still stings and throbs. I have to block it out. If I don't I'm going to lose this battle.

Now, I just need to focus.

Focus and _listen_.

Don't worry about their words. Focus on the smaller sounds. The more subtle noises that can be drowned out by voices.

I hear something, coming from behind me, to my left.

Reinforcements?

Play dumb. Don't let them know that your onto them. I'll attack them first, and then jump and strike Miyore. Once he's out of the way, I'll just face Nadare and Fubuki and try to wind two-on-one.

That's my plan.

Five seconds. Four seconds. Three, two, one . . .

They _stop_.

Don't move.

Wait until they make one more step.

Nadare and Fubuki are yelling at each other again. "What's she up to?" seems to be the focus of their conversation.

Just ignore it. It's pointless.

Just wait until . . .

"Damn it, I'm not waiting for you two to get your acts together!" It's Miyore.

He's forcing the issue.

I spin around and block his blow with the Habanero Ninjatou. I feel the branches snap beneath our combined weight, and I jump away into the sky to find Miyore still chasing me.

Nadare and Fubuki are adjusting positions. I am sure the reinforcements are adjusting to our movements as well.

End this. End this _now_.

"Wind Style! Air Bullets Technique!" I aim right for Miyore and fire several compressed air shots at him, knocking him around and send him crashing through the trees.

I land on the top of another tree, and wait.

Nadare and Fubuki cautiously approach my position. They're not bickering anymore. They're focusing, and that's not a good thing for me. Especially as I haven't landed a crippling blow on Miyore yet.

More movement. Has to be the reinforcements.

Wait. They're changing direction.

They're heading a_way_ from me. Heading towards Nadare.

That doesn't make any sense! They're reinforcements! They're supposed to sneak up on-

Then I see a figure, a dark-skinned girl with white hair buried underneath a green bandanna, making hand signs below Nadare's position.

Her forehead protector has three blades of grass.

She's from Kusa.

An _ally_!

"Fire Style! Demon Lantern!" the girl shouts at the top of her lungs.

I see it.

Dozens of balls of fire, seeming to shriek like possessed ghosts, forming behind her all at once. It's an army of those things, taking on physical form out of nowhere!

Nadare spins towards her. "What the-"

The girl screams as she directs the many, many shrieking balls of fire right at him and Fubuki.

Nadare and Fubuki both leap away, and I hear Miyore charge off as well. They've been caught off guard and are in full retreat.

Explosions. Many of them. They _level_ the forest in front of me, blossoming into a giant fireball. This girl has so much power that the Uchiha Clan would be envious. Just who is she?

The girl is breathing heavily. That attack had taken a _lot_ out of her.

Then I hear someone come at me from the side. I turn and I see a young man, can't be much older than Anko, appear in front of me. He's a fair-skinned man with long blonde hair and dark eyes. He's strikingly handsome, reminding me almost of Minato in a way.

"Are you all right, Ms. Uzumaki? You friends filled me in on the details."

"I am fine. What's your name?" I ask.

"Hajime. Haijime Kuroishi," the man replies. "Jonin of Kusa, the Village Hidden in the Grass. My genin and I seem to have been dragged into this war much like you have."

"Regardless, thank you very much for your assistance," I reply.

I hear movement from behind, and I see the girl jump up to join us. She's older than Naruto and Sasuke by a couple of years, has to be fourteen, fifteen. Her right eye is obscured by her hair and her left eye has a peculiar symbol I've never seen before embedded inside it. Perhaps a kekkai genkai?

"Thank you for your help," I say. "My name is Kushina Uzumaki."

The girl doesn't return my smile. "My name is Ryuuzetsu. Ryuuzetsu Isayama. Genin of Kusa."

"Uh . . ." She seems just a bit distant and prickly. More than I expected her to be.

"Don't mind Ryuuzetsu. She has experienced a lot of grief in her life," Kuroishi replies.

"You don't need to speak for me, sensei. My emotions don't control me," Ryuuzetsu says. She sighs. "You don't need to be worried about me, Ms. Uzumaki."

"Ryuuzetsu, escort Kushina Uzumaki back to the campsite. I'll make sure that our enemies really _did_ retreat," Hajime Kuroishi says, and then he jumps into the woods, vanishing.

"All right," Ryuuzetsu says softly, almost in a muttering tone. She doesn't seem hostile, just . . . _distant_. Like she's been worn down relentlessly throughout her life.

"Please follow me, Ms. Uzumaki," Ryuuzetsu says. "And you don't need to protect me either. I am older than both of my teammates and unlike them have attempted the Chuunin Exams twice. I can hold my own."

"I never questioned your ability, Ryuuzetsu," I say, using her first name intentionally to foster a hint of trust in her. "That was one of the most incredible attacks I have ever seen a genin use. I'm honestly impressed."

She still doesn't smile. "Please don't flatter me, Ms. Uzumaki. I'm still trying to get over being tricked, just like you and your fellow Konoha ninja have undoubtedly been. I'm just focusing on not slicing that woman's throat open."

She undoubtedly means Yukie Fujikaze when she says that.

She then jumps into the trees, and I follow.

Ryuuzetsu seems to be the embodiment of this mission as a whole.

Control on the verge of falling into chaos.

And just like the mission, I cannot see which way Ryuuzetsu will go yet.

I have a feeling I'm about to find out.

* * *

A/N: When I conceptualized this fic, I realized that Kushina's battle techniques desperately needed fleshing out or things were going to get boring fast. All she's really demonstrated in canon are the Chakra Chains and super strength. So basically I've had to do a lot of careful research (and some making up) to build Kushina's library of ninjutsu.

She's implied to be a Fire elemental in canon so there's some fire jutsu there. Dragon Flame for sure, and as her best friend's Mikoto it's not inconceivable that she would know the Fireball Jutsu too. I also figured that in Minato's memory she'd teach herself some of Minato's techniques though working on memory it'd take years for her to do them right (of course, it has been many years now XD). Hence, she can fire the Rasengan and can do a passable rendition of the Teleportation Barrier, and for convenience's sake I also made Kushina's secondary chakra nature wind so she has more attacks to choose from. Air Bullets seems to have become her go-to Wind ninjutsu in this fic.

As for the Habanero Ninjatou . . . I completely made it up. But I wanted Kushina to be unique. It's not inconceivable that Minato would form a weapon like that for her, he was good at stuff like that in canon. It's yet another weapon in her arsenal that is good in some situations and bad in others, but it adds some emotional resonance to her battles and allows me to create a couple of techniques centered around this made-up fire sword. Again, it's to keep things from getting boring and to add some layers to the fic and Kushina's story here. I apologize if you find it a bad idea.

P.S. And yes, I made up Ryuuzetsu's last name too. I decided that everyone from Kusa should have last names in the fic. Hence, I had to make Ryuuzetsu's family name up. Hope you don't mind.

Thanks for reading.


	29. The End of Yukie Fujikaze

No time to respond to everyone this time (I'll edit my responses later). But I'm glad people don't want to lynch me yet. XD

Anyway, the promised chapter. Enjoy!

EDIT 3/15/13: For reviews . . .

Riku Uzumaki: We'll see who gets a Rasengan to the face soon enough. But yeah, Kushina basically pwned two of the Snow ninja right then and there.

dracoholo117: You're not alone in feeling that way, Anko pretty much told Kushina the same way. XD As for Kusa, they were brought to Snow by Sandayuu, who is Yukie's assistant, as will be shown in the below chapter.

Trubeque: I never thought of it as a "flaming ninja lightsaber". Shows how much influence Star Wars has on me to this day, I don't even recognize its influence on my writing, heh.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: The End of Yukie Fujikaze**

_Kushina Uzumaki_

Ryuuzetsu is adept at moving through trees in a way Naruto and his teammates are not. She strikes me as a girl ready to become a chuunin, perhaps even ready to move up into jonin status before she leaves her teens. Not many genin are capable of ninjutsu assaults like the Demon Lantern technique she had used on Nadare and his team.

"You have a lot of experience," I say, trying to strike up a conversation with the girl. "Don't deny it. I can tell."

"I have taken one A-rank, five B-ranks, thirty C-ranks, and forty-five D-ranks," Ryuuzetsu replies.

Now that I have time to listen to her, Ryuuzetsu's voice is deep and harsh for a girl who had to be fourteen and fifteen. She isn't trying to sound harsh, the distance in her voice softens the sound to a degree, but it's just how she talks. There isn't a hint of bragging in her voice either. Just a hint of resignation.

"An A-rank? That is impressive just for a _chuunin_ to take," I say. "How did you-"

"I'd really rather not have a discussion about myself right now, Ms. Uzumaki. I am just going to lead you to the where the others are," Ryuuzetsu replies.

We make it back to the field, and Ryuuzetsu, without missing a beat, takes off with a sprint. I follow her, and see that Ryuuzetsu is quick on the ground, too.

She had attempted the Chuunin Exams twice? Had taken an A-rank? I wonder how she hasn't passed. Those qualifications, on paper, should have allowed her to be promoted beyond genin. It just doesn't make sense, not unless there's something I'm not seeing here.

When we approach the end of the field, I see two ninja emerge, both wearing Kusa headbands. It takes me a moment to see that they're both shorter and younger-looking than Ryuuzetsu. When the girl talks, it's clear that she's younger-_sounding_ than Ryuuzetsu too.

"Ryuuzetsu! You're okay!" the girl shouts.

For the first time, Ryuuzetsu shows a hint of emotion, but even then it seems veiled and reserved. She just smiles slightly. "Of course I'm okay, Sango. I was just bringing Ms. Kushina Uzumaki back. Want to introduce yourselves to her? She's a friend from the Village Hidden in the Leaves, Konoha."

Both Sango and the other teammate, a boy with pale skin, close-cropped brown hair and ice-blue eyes, run up to me. And then it hits me. These kids _are_ kids. They're not older than Naruto and his teammates. They may even be _younger_, ten or eleven years old.

The girl has raven-colored hair and dark skin like Ryuuzetsu, with dark violet eyes. She bows to me politely. "My name is Sango Saijima, Ms. Uzumaki."

The boy just nods. "I am Tadashi Obata. Nice to meet you, Ms. Uzumaki."

I shake off the shock of seeing an older girl like Ryuuzetsu partnered up with two kids who could be younger than Naruto. This doesn't make sense, but they clearly _are_ Ryuuzetsu's teammates. I give them each a short, casual yet polite bow. "I'm Kushina Uzumaki, of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Glad to meet you both."

That's when it hits me, when I stand back up and stare at the kids.

Their sensei, Hajime Kuroishi, had said that Ryuuzetsu has had a "lot of grief in her life". And Ryuuzetsu had attempted, and failed, the Chuunin Exams _twice_.

What if she lost her teammates on either or _both_ attempts? Kusa is a small village. If there's a genin who was not promoted or lost her team, they would just transfer her to a team that needed a third member. If the team was made out of young kids, even better. Someone powerful like Ryuuzetsu could assist in teaching them and protecting them from the worst of the missions.

I look at Ryuuzetsu, who stares back. It's then that I see a symbol I do not recognize in her silver lines. It is not like the Byakugan of the Hyuuga clan, but not like the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan either. It's _different_ than either of them.

I don't want Ryuuzetsu getting suspicious of me. I quickly come up with a topic of conversation. "Please, take me to my fellow shinobi and kunoichi of Konoha. I want to make sure they're okay."

Ryuuzetsu nods. "All right. They're not too far away. Follow me."

It's only a quick walk through the brush before I see them.

The samurai who had been in a form of young girl until recently, Nana, notices me first. "So you've returned, Kushina Uzumaki."

"I have," I reply.

"Mom." I look to my left, and I see Naruto, with bandages around his forehead and ears, and looking clearly exhausted, but he was all right. He was going to make it.

"Naruto." We walk up to each other and I place my hands on his shoulder.

He's starting to turn into a young man. I can see it on his face. He won't be a child for much longer. He's going to wind up looking a lot like _you_, Minato. Dashing and handsome with uncontrollable blonde hair.

I place my hands on his shoulders. "I'm proud of you, Naruto. You did a wonderful job out there. Way to show courage and strength no matter how tired you were, Naruto."

Naruto grins and chuckles. "Thanks. I can't give up that easily, not if I'm gonna be Hokage."

"No, you cannot," I agree. I feel like I'm being watched, so I turn around to see Ryuuzetsu leaning against a tree.

"Can I help you?" I ask.

"It's nothing," Ryuuzetsu says, with perhaps just a hint of envy, before she leaves.

"Who's she?" Naruto asks.

"Her name is Ryuuzetsu. I guess she's going to be teaming up with us from now on," I reply.

"Oh no." I know that voice, especially when it sounds forceful like this. "I haven't said yes to _any_ team-up yet."

I see Anko walking over to us. Bandages are clearly visible around her stomach. It looks like her bleeding's stopped, but she still looks exhausted and hurt. She's clearly not up for another battle.

"You haven't?" I ask.

"I haven't decided whether to finish the mission yet," Anko says curtly. "After all, we were deceived, including by Nana here."

Nana looks up at us. "Look, I was just trying to-"

Anko marches up to Nana and bops her on the top of her head, making Nana grunt in pain and sit down, clutching her head. "That's for being a miserable little _snot_ for the last two weeks."

Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata have all witnessed this, and they stare in shock. Even I'm caught off guard. I never expected Anko to do something like this. It's immature, a bit childish, though I imagine it must be cathartic, considering what they went through regarding Nana's alter ego "Nanako".

Fuu, unsurprisingly, runs up to Nana, who's clutching her head. Fuu's eyes gleam with mischievousness. "Can I hit her too? Can I? Can I?"

"_No_," I say, making sure there is no room for argument with my tone. "You'll give her a concussion if you hit her too."

"But that's even better!" Fuu whines.

"She did _not_ bother you personally, Fuu," I reply. "You have no issues with her. Don't."

"Aww," Fuu groans, kicking some snow. "If ya say so, Ms. Uzumaki."

Relieved, I look at Naruto, who has a similar impish glint in his eyes. "I'd prefer if you didn't strike Nana either. This is not the time to gain up on someone because of the issues she has caused you."

Anko sighs. "Yeah, I know. I just wanted to give Nana a shot."

"I was _playing a character_," Nana groans. "I was pretending to be an obnoxious seven-year-old girl while being a bodyguard this entire time. Look, you people _never_ figured it out. I'm just doing my job and I succeeded in it."

"Until the Oto ninja struck and you were separated from us," Anko says, still glaring at the young female samurai.

"True," Nana says, giving Anko an uneasy smile. "I picked a bad spot to take cover."

I look out over the campsite. I see all four of the Oto ninja, tied up by their whole bodies and their mouths covered in wrap-around tape, resting on the edge of camp. The woman who was the sensei was still unconscious, and the three genin in her care were all alert and looked _pissed_ but could do nothing about it.

"What are we going to do with the Oto ninja over there?" I ask.

"Haven't figured it out yet," Anko says. She gives me a smile. "Depends on what 'Yukie' tells us and whether it's satisfactory."

A man appears in front of us then, not out of nowhere but by where Yukie was resting on the ground. He's a middle-aged man with brown hair, with thin glasses on his face. He has a paternal appearance about him, kind and clearly warm-hearted. A contract to Yukie who, as I had seen, had transitioned to cold and aloof the moment Anko threatened her.

"She has good reasons to walk around under the alias of 'Yukie Fujikaze'," the man says. "My name is Sandayuu Asama, a retainer of the former regent, Sosetsu. The woman you know as 'Yukie Fujikaze' is in fact the former regent's daughter and the rightful ruler of the Land of Snow."

"She's _what_?" Anko exclaims, her mouth falling open for just a second, before quickly recovering. "You can't be serious! She's some sort of crown princess?"

The woman whose name had been told to us as 'Yukie Fujikaze' gets up and walks over to us as Sandayuu replies. "Yes, she is. Her uncle, Doto Kazahana, was deemed ineligible for the throne by Sosetsu's predecessor due to his role in the massacre of the Hidden Eddy Village, Uzushio."

That name again. Uzushio. My birthplace, long gone, annihilated because of its potential to grow powerful, more powerful than any other ninja village in the world. Its defenders and civilians were cruelly massacred by barbarians in its final hour.

Sandayuu is _not_ lying. I can hear it in his tone. He's telling the truth.

But still . . . still! After watching all of these ninja be deceived, manipulated, all this time, how can I believe it? Especially after Nadare tried to invoke Uzushio to enrage me even though he had been clearly lying about it!

"How do you know this?" I ask. "Land of Snow forces were not reported in the destruction of Uzushio!"

"I know it because I was there," Sandayuu replies, his voice grave. "Doto Kazahana was serving as a mercenary for the assaulting force. I was to report on his activities to the then-ruler of the Land of Snow. Doto Kazahana played an influential role in breaching Uzushio's defenses . . . but he lost an obscene amount of men in the process. His mind fell into madness and when the flow of battle brought him into the civilian quarter . . . he and his surviving soldiers went wild. They raped and pillaged the civilian quarter."

I . . . I had heard about this. It seemed like a far-off place, almost imaginary, because I had been away from Uzushio for so long when the village was destroyed. But . . . I had lived there as a young girl. People I knew, friends I had made when I was just a young girl, they had all been there. Names and faces floating in my mind's eye, that's all they are now, without any rhyme or reason and I am no longer sure if I am matching the names to those faces.

Why? Why is hearing of this atrocity doing this to me? Filling me with this anger? Mito and the other leaders of Uzushio had sent me to Konoha so I could . . . so I could . . .

What if? What if I had been sent to Konoha because Uzushio's leaders saw the end coming on the horizon? What if I had been sent away so I would not fall with the rest of the village's defenders?

I don't know. I just don't know anymore.

Maybe it's all of the spirits of the departed, unable to rest after their unjust ends. Maybe they are reaching out to the only Uzumaki in the Land of Snow. The only Uzumaki who can avenge the scattering of the clan and the destruction of the village where the Uzumaki clan had called home. The only Uzumaki who can kill the man who had destroyed the future of the clan in a incoherent hatred.

Maybe this is why I felt drawn to this mission from the start. Not just out of a desire to protect Naruto, but by the fallen of Uzushio wanting justice for what was done to them.

I don't know. I just don't know anymore.

"Kushina?" Anko asks, snapping me out of it. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I say softly. But the truth is I am not. I feel as if the weight of all of the dead are upon me.

Perhaps . . . perhaps I am to speak for them, all of those children, all of those raped and then butchered.

That's what I feel in my heart. That I am the speaker for the dead.

Sandayuu sighs. "When I heard the name 'Uzumaki', I was stunned. I feel I should apologize. I witnessed the act but was unable to stop it. All I could do was report what Doto had done to the then-ruler of the Land of Snow, and he disowned Doto for his inhumane act and banished him. Sosetsu, the younger brother, inherited the throne, and . . ."

By this point, 'Yukie Fujikaze' has been standing by Sandayuu for the last few seconds, and Sandayuu turns towards her. "I suppose you should be speaking for yourself from this point onward."

"I should." She clears her throat. "My true name is Koyuki Kazahana. I am the rightful ruler of the Land of Snow, and I am preparing one last offensive to defeat Doto Kazahana."

She looks at all of us, the ninja from various villages across the world who have all ended up here, from the recently-returned Hajime Kuroishi all the way around to the tied-up Oto ninja at the edge of the campsite. She even looks at Fuu, the sole representative from Taki.

"And I have the need for _you_. All of the ninja I have hired. You will play an instrumental role in retaking the throne and putting an end to my monster of an uncle."

Suddenly, she reaches into her pockets. "_This_ is what murdered my father, and decimated the samurai of the Land of Snow."

And then I see it. An odd device I have never seen before. The closest equivalent I can think of is the crossbow, but there's no bolt on the top. It looks like the ammunition is _internal_.

"This is called the _teppou_," Koyuki Kazahana says, holding it out in the open. "The teppou can be reloaded quicker than even a crossbow, and requires much less training to fire and operate efficiently. Doto is a brilliant strategist, he armed the _ashigaru_ with the teppou and they decimated our elite, proud samurai."

"_This_ thing?" Anko snatches the 'teppou' from Koyuki's hands and studies it. "It just looks like a weird-ass crossbow to me. I assume it works like-"

She pushes the trigger mechanism while aiming at a random tree.

_Crack_.

My ears feel punctured by a cruel thunderclap. I cover my ears far too late to protect them from the vicious, piercing sound. My ears are still throbbing in pain when I turn towards the tree Anko had fired at, and then stare.

The tree now has a hole blown in it, splinters everywhere.

"_Shit_," Anko says, her eyes wide.

Koyuki snatches the weapon back from Anko, who does not resist. "_Now_ do you understand? And now we need to leave this area as soon as possible. Every living soul within a few miles of here just heard that, you fool!"

"How was I supposed to know that?" Anko growls as she messes with her ears. "Damn, that was so loud."

"There is a hotel nearby, it's run by an old friend of mine, she's named Sanae," Koyuki says. "We're going to head there and rest while my other retainers muster as many forces as possible. Within three days, Doto Kazahana will fall or I will be dead."

Naruto makes a growling sound. "Hey, lady! I dunno where you're gettin' this high 'n' mighty attitude from, but none of us have agreed to _anything_! Why do we have to follow _your_ orders?"

I touch Naruto's shoulder and rub it. "It's all right, Naruto. We'll just follow her to the hotel and make up our minds here."

Naruto stares at me, shocked. "B-But-"

"That sound _will_ attract people here, Naruto. The safest place to be will be that hotel. Then we can make up our minds on whether to help Koyuki or not."

I look at everyone. "Does anyone have a better plan than that?"

It turns out, no one does.

* * *

Hajime Kuroishi and I get to walk together, surrounding Koyuki and Sandayuu from the sides. Ryuuzetsu and her fellow genin take point, while Anko's team, basically a bunch of walking wounded, follow us. Fuu walks out directly in front of Koyuki and Sandayuu, occasionally looking back to stare at the woman, but ultimately never saying a word. Nana brings up the rear, carrying the unconscious Oto jonin named Guren. Anko's unit marches around the tied-up Oto genin, keeping them at kunai-point.

Finally, Fuu turns around and begins walking backwards, facing Koyuki. "Ya know, you're honestly a _jerk_. Draggin' us all the way out here under a bunch of lies."

Koyuki scoffs. "I never paid for the services of a girl from Taki. You winding up out here is your own problem."

Fuu groans, but quickly recovers. "Oh yeah? You never paid for Ms. Kushina Uzumaki either and she's here protectin' ya! So ya know what? I think we both want some answers here!"

"If you truly are the rightful ruler of the Land of Snow," Haijime Kuroishi says calmly, "You would think you would have enough money to hire an A-ranked mission from one of the ninja villages. Why us? Why drag genin into your war?"

Kuroishi seems to be a calm, almost placcid man, but his words carry a dark edge to them. He strikes me as a man who just gets quieter as he gets angrier, and when he becomes close to silent, he is out for blood.

"Everything is a calculated risk," Koyuki says. "Unfortunately, the amount of savings I was able to take from the Land of Snow's treasury when I had to flee was near zero. All the money I have used for this mission is solely from my dues as a stage actress. I had to use it in the most economical way possible."

"Really." Kuroishi's voice softens, just a little, but he sounds just a bit nastier at the same time.

"I could either pay for one B-rank or two C-ranks," Koyuki explains. "That's all I had left to spare after hiring a mercenary brigade of ashigaru to fight for me. I have other surviving samurai joining to fight for me as well, but the samurai and ashigaru will be rushing to their deaths because of the teppou that Anko Mitarashi helpfully demonstrated."

Watching that weapon fire, and seeing the effects of the weapon, makes me shudder. I could see a line of teppou-armed ashigaru mowing down thousands of samurai in just a few volleys. Samurai who have spent their whole lives training in the art of the sword, spent years refining ninjutsu, and all of that ending because of ashigaru trained to do one thing: aim, fire, reload, and repeat.

The teppou could change everything. It _will_ change everything, if it leaves the Land of Snow. In what way, I don't know. I need to ask Hiruzen about this. Hell, I need to bring one of these weapons back to Konoha for him to examine. He'll know what's best. He's the Hokage, for heaven's sake! If he doesn't know what to do, Konoha will be lost when the teppou reaches the Land of Fire!

Koyuki smiles at me, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Of course, I never expected an S-ranked jonin to join me here. You are an unexpected boon, Kushina Uzumaki."

"I am here to protect my son and his teammates and nothing more," I reply. I know I have a bit of a snippy tone in my voice, but I don't care.

Koyuki's smile stays. "I saw your reaction to Sandayuu describing what Uncle Doto did to your village, Uzushio. I know the Uzumaki clan originated from that place. I know it affected you. You desire revenge for the clan, don't you?"

Shut up, Koyuki. "I am here for protecting my son and his teammates and that's all, Ms. Kazahana."

"Lie to me all you like. I know the desire for revenge burns inside you," Koyuki replies.

"I think you should answer my question, Ms. Kazahana, over goading Ms. Uzumaki on," Haijime Kuroishi says.

Koyuki sighs. "Yes, of course. Now, I _could_ have hired a B-rank from, say, either Suna or Konoha. I would have had three or four chuunin here instead. But there's an issue with that. Doto Kazahana's right-hand man is Nadare Roga. Nadare Roga is a jonin who is borderline S-rank in terms of ability, and Nadare Roga also leads the new ninja village Doto is attempting to establish here. Chuunin will fall in a battle against Roga. I need _jonin_, Mr. Kuroishi. Jonin like you, or Anko Mitarashi, or Kushina Uzumaki."

Hajime Kuroishi swallows. "I see. So you hired a pair of C-ranks to get the jonin you wanted."

"That's right," Koyuki replies. "I had Sandayuu head to your village, Kusa, to hire the best jonin-with-genin team he could find. I . . . will admit being less personal with hiring the Konoha outfit, but after witnessing their performance against the Oto ninja, I am satisfied with their abilities as well."

She smiles at me again. "And, of course, I have the S-ranked Kushina Uzumaki along as well."

"How do you know so much about me?" I ask.

"You're in roughly every bingo book in every nation," Koyuki replies. "Some bingo books have more information on you than others . . . _jinchuuriki_."

So, she's aware of that too. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Koyuki is a schemer and not a good person, but I can't question her intelligence. She has used her intelligence well so far, though it has come at the cost of total distrust of her.

Fuu raises an eyebrow. "Got anything on me?"

Koyuki shook her head. "Should I? You are a child from a minor ninja village."

"Hey!" Fuu stomps her foot and gets right in Koyuki's way. "For your information, I'm a jinchuuriki too! I can turn into a enormous monster and eat you the moment I feel like it!"

"I'm sure you're very fearsome," Koyuki replies, clearly skeptical.

Fuu growls, and I immediately grab her by the shirt collar right as she lunges for Koyuki. "No wonder 'Nanako' was such a brat all she had to do was listen to you talk you _stupid stupidhead idiot jerkface_!"

"I don't have time to deal with this. To be clear, I am not making an offer for assistance from the Waterfall Village, so this isn't your concern. Stop bothering me, little girl," Koyuki says, clearly annoyed by Fuu's tantrum.

That remark brings out the Seven-Tails' chakra. This moment has officially stopped being even remotely amusing. "Fuu, no. Don't. That's an order."

Fuu growls, but I feel the bestial chakra settle down, and I sigh with relief. At least Fuu listens to me even when she wants to rip someone's head off. I've made progress with being her authority figure.

Koyuki sighs, seemingly blissfully unaware of how close she had come to having Fuu's prophecy come true. "Now, I know none of you trust me. But that is why the hotel is there. We're going to hash this out."

Koyuki looks between us. "I can guarantee all participating villages first access to Land of Snow technology including the teppou, along with an alliance and of course the pay you would deserve for attempting a mission of this magnitude. That is a lot to leave on the table. I want you all to think about this before we discuss business inside that hotel. Don't just dismiss me out of hand."

That devious little smile re-emerges. "Besides, as I warned Anko Mitarashi back there, Doto Kazahana has undoubtedly closed the borders. He knows I'm here, and he believes that I have ninja protection from Kusa and Konoha. The only way to save your villages now is to fight for me and end Doto before he begins his domination quest."

"You are a devious woman," Haijime sighs.

Koyuki chuckles at that. "I've had to become one in order to survive. Everything has to be a precise calculation or I am dead."

Suddenly, Ryuuzetsu and her fellow genin run back towards us. "I've sighted a building down the road. It's three-stories high and the first floor is solely constructed of brick."

Koyuki nods. "That is the place. That is where we will stay for the next two days while you decide what to do, while I plan to fight my war."She looks between both Haijime Kuroishi and I. "You ninja will prevent a lot of needless casualties by participating. Keep that in mind too. Your involvement will prevent the mass deployment of the teppou-armed ashigaru and save many, many of my men and women."

She pauses. "And ultimately, save my country and this world."

She walks on, Sandayuu dutifully at her side.

"Ya know, I think I bopped the wrong person on the head," Anko says. She and her team caught up to us while we were standing still there, and caught the end of the conversation.

Personally, Anko, Koyuki's not the only person I need to talk to. I need to talk to _you_ too. I heard some of those comments flying around the last few days. I heard about your "darkness". I want to know exactly what you mean by that, and damn soon.

Two days? That's plenty of time to do some chatting. About everything I need to know. From Koyuki _and_ you, Anko.

I will not be deceived anymore by people. Not on this mission.

Because deception kills people. It could kill anyone here on this mission. It could have killed my son. _Still_ could kill my son.

I won't tolerate it anymore.

And anyone who thinks otherwise will learn that the hard way.

But still, I smile at Anko. "I think we've had enough violence today. Let's just have words guide us the next couple of days."

"Sounds good to me," Anko says. "Lead on, Kushina. We _are_ still officially protecting those people."

Yes, we are.

From us.

And from themselves.

That much is clear.

Everything else is just lost in the fog of war.


	30. Morality

Riku Uzumaki: Pretty much. Koyuki's devious like that.

dracoholo117: It's called "fear of the unknown". Guns are terrifying to those who've never been exposed to one. It's effectiveness against Naruto ninja, logically, would be debatable, but for Naruto ninja who have never seen this device it looks like a serious game-changer. That's why they're scared of it so much. Knowing that the samurai were obliterated by it just adds to the fear quota. I hope that explanation makes sense.

Anyway . . . here's the new chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty: Morality**

_Kushina Uzumaki_

Koyuki's contact, Sanae, turns out to be a tall, somewhat plump middle-aged woman with long salt-and-pepper hair. She's still pretty, but clearly in her forties, and may have even hit fifty. Her first words are directed to Koyuki Kazahana after she bows to us. "Princess Koyuki. When I heard that you were coming I almost did not believe it. You're truly going to face off with your uncle."

"I have been planning this ever since Uncle Doto re-opened the borders last year," Koyuki says calmly. "I apologize for turning your hotel into a headquarters, but it's necessary."

"Doto is a warlord, not a statesman," Sanae replies. "Do what you need to do, but make sure you _win_. And bring me Doto's body once you are through with him. His body deserves three good stabbings for my three dead sons."

The cruelty of her words is shocking, especially from a pleasant-looking woman like Sanae. The shock wears off as a couple of seconds, though. Sanae must be far from the only person who feels this way.

"If I can, I will bring him to you _alive_ so you can kill him yourself, Sanae," Koyuki replies.

"Thank you, Princess," Sanae replies. She steps aside then, motioning for us to come inside. "My staff is loyal to you, Princess Koyuki. They will help you with whatever arrangements you may need. We've already begun sheltering some of your forces."

"And I thank you for that. May we use your hot springs to help with rest and recooperation?" Koyuki asks.

"Use what you need," Sanae says. "You seem to have hired ninja, Koyuki, judging that they wear forehead protectors with symbols on them."

Koyuki smiles. "Fight fire with fire, Sanae. Doto doesn't know what he's getting into by replacing the samurai with ninja. I am hoping the Kusa and Konoha ninja here will teach him a permanent lesson when it comes to that."

"Why does she keep excluding me?" Fuu growls softly from behind me.

Sanae nods. "I understand. Please, step inside, all of you. Thank you for fighting for our country's liberation."

Sanae doesn't seem to have gotten the memo that we _haven't_ officially agreed to helping Koyuki out yet. But she seems to be assuming we are. I wonder if this is intentional on Koyuki's part, to put pressure on us to agree to fight for her, by putting the hopes and faith of everyone who is on her side directly in front of our faces.

What a cynical, cruel woman. Koyuki's gambits grow more impressive, and more callous and deceitful, the longer I am with her. She knows how to push every button, emotional and logical.

As we walk inside, Koyuki begins speaking again. "Since I have Sanae's permission, I invite you all to relax in the hot springs for an hour or two before we begin hashing out the formal terms of our agreement. Sanae's staff includes some people trained in healing, so for those of you who are beaten up, they will be able to help you heal in time to participate in the upcoming battle."

I can hear the voice of one of the Oto genin, the spiky-haired one, I believe his name is Zaku. "Hey, what about _us_?"

"Your prisoners of war," Koyuki replies in a curt, no-nonsense tone. "However, if your sensei can persuade me that she is willing to defect to my side, I can arrange much better living conditions for you all."

"Yeah, good luck with that. My sensei is _still_ unconscious," Zaku grumbles.

I'm not surprised. Anko had given the Oto sensei a serious shot with that Chidori technique. That was a technique created by Kakashi Hatake, and I remember Minato lecturing Kakashi over the technique, primarily over its drawback. Using the Chidori brings on tunnel vision for the user, and you basically can only run in a straight line as a result. If the Oto sensei had opted to counterattack instead of trying to weather the blow, things could have turned out far worse for Anko.

"Well, then when or _if_ she awakens, please tell me so. That way, we can have a _nice_ little discussion over where she falls into place," Koyuki replies. "I remember her saying that Uncle Doto deceived you four. I think she might be willing to reconsider her side in this conflict."

"Yeah. He told us you were just a guerrilla fighter lookin' to cause trouble, not some kind of _princess_," Zaku replies.

Koyuki doesn't answer him. She just motions to some of Sanae's staff. "Please put them in an isolated but secure area in this building. If their sensei awakens and wants my audience, please inform me."

The staff goes ahead and does so, only Zaku offering any resistance. And even he can only talk, he's been secured so tightly. He mostly just curses at Koyuki, at Anko's team and his own teammates as he's being carried away.

Koyuki sighs the moment Zaku's insults are no longer heard. "I for one hope their sensei never wakes up so I don't have to deal with them again."

She seems to relax, just a bit. "I know what I have done to bring you here was under dishonest circumstances. I won't mince words with apologies. But I needed ninja, particularly jonin, to prevent the upcoming battle from turning into a massacre, particularly if the mercenaries break. Which they would, under a barrage from the teppou. And then Doto would have no opposition within the Land of Snow to prevent him from doing whatever he pleases."

She just shakes her head. "I will attend to my followers that have already arrived. Please relax in the hot springs and have any lingering injuries tended to. I will discuss everything with the jonin here in three hours."

She turns to walk away, and Naruto speaks up. "Ya really think we'll stay?"

Koyuki chuckles. "If your consciences guide you, yes, you will."

She vanishes then, leaving us standing in the main hallway.

"Hmmph," Naruto folds his shoulders. "I've always wanted to protect a princess but I thought princesses were supposed to be nice and stuff."

"Well, looks like another wish of your came true, Naruto," Anko says, rubbing Naruto's head. "Just not in the way you expected."

"Ergh." Naruto looks down.

"No offense," Anko says, "But after everything, I'm going to the hot springs. Think later, relax now."

Haijime Kuroishi sighs. "I suppose so. I know none of us are looking forward to traveling in the cold so soon."

I can't find myself disagreeing with this. Especially after the fight I just had. "All right. Let's just relax for a while, and then we'll worry about if we're sticking around for a fight this evening."

It hits me then that I just gave orders, like I had suddenly taken command of this group of ninja. How had _that_ happened? I had done it even back in the campsite, when I told everyone to leave.

No, don't worry about it. Just relax. You just fought a hard battle this morning and spent the rest of the day marching to here. Just let the worries go away for a while.

I honestly think I deserve it. I don't let myself enjoy moments of peace very much. Hiruzen told me that this was my vacation anyway. This will at least give me something resembling a vacation, even if only for a few short hours.

At least, I hope so. No more disturbances . . .

* * *

"I wish these hot springs were co-ed," Anko moans. "That Haijime Kuroishi looked like a hottie. Total chiseled abs and stuff, I bet."

"You are aware you're talking about my sensei," Ryuuzetsu growls.

Anko laughs. "Right, sorry!"

Now that her bandana is off, I can see that Ryuuzetsu has a surprisingly long mane of hair, going down to her back. It reminds me of my own hair, to be honest. I'm kind of surprised that she can portray herself as masculine so well with the baggy clothing she usually wears

"I don't wanna be here," Ryuuzetsu's teammate, Sango Saijima, says. "I want to practice the shamisen."

"You're a musician, then?" I ask.

Sango grins. "We're all musicians. Kusa is filled with them. Ryuuzetsu plays the shakuhachi, and Tadashi plays the koto. We play sankyoku together sometimes to unwind."

Ryuuzetsu's cheeks seem to flush for a second at the mention of her playing the shakuhachi, and promptly flush even harder at the mention of sankyoku chamber music. She looks away from all of us. "They don't need to know everything about us, Sango."

"We were gonna play tonight anyway, weren't we?" Sango asks. "They might as well find out now."

"I didn't want an audience," Ryuuzetsu grumbles.

Sango sighs. "You _never_ want an audience."

"You guys bicker just like my own genin," Anko says, smiling. "Speaking of which, wonder what's taking Hinata so long? Her cuts have pretty much healed."

"Probably embarrassed," Fuu chuckles.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about," Anko says. "The way the hotel designed these hot springs pools makes it impossible for anyone inside the hotel to peek on others."

"What about from the outside?" Fuu asks.

Anko just laughs. "Who the hell is gonna walk around outside in below freezing weather just to get a peek? Besides, with all of the security that has to be around this hotel, I doubt anyone but an S-ranked jonin could make it to us right now without being detected."

"True," I say, relaxing in my chair. I don't want to go into the water, but I'm going to enjoy the heat and relax. "Still, Anko, you're tempting fate by saying stuff like that."

"Eh, I feel pretty good about saying _that_," Anko says.

I look over to my left at the sounds of footsteps, and I see Hinata wrapped up in a robe. "Um . . ."

"It's all right, Hinata. The water's _perfect_. It'll help soothe these injuries of ours," Anko says cheerfully, standing up in the water.

"Well, uh . . ." Hinata looks over at me. I'm the only one who's not in the water. I can see, without her saying a word, what she wants me to do.

I just nod and undress, and smile at her.

"Thank you," Hinata says softly.

Fine. I'll swim. I don't particularly want to, the sauna-like atmosphere was good enough by itself, but Hinata needs to learn to not be so shy. I know Anko has to be working on that because Hinata wouldn't have the guts to come out here at all before now. At least, that's from my impression of Hinata.

As I walk over to the pool, though, I hear something. It sounds like a drill.

Why would I be hearing a-

The sound stops. And then I hear a soft whisper. "Oh man, I got it made!"

Followed by giggling. A very _manly_, asinine giggle.

Anko! I _knew_ this was gonna happen! You tempted fate and-

Wait. _Wait_.

I know this asinine giggling anywhere.

Oh, Jiraiya. You bastard.

I haven't seen you in over twelve years, and for the last four I've been wanting to kick your ass for not lifting a finger to help Naruto when he was suffering without me.

But _this_? Especially as you're undoubtedly having your asinine giggling fit over _me_? How low can you-

Wait. Even Jiraiya wouldn't stoop _this_ low as to peek on me, Minato's _widow_. Does he know it's me?

I step back and scan the wall. I can hear Jiraiya moan softly. "Where'd the hottie redhead go? I don't wanna look at kids," he says ever so softly.

That confirms it. He hasn't seen my face. He doesn't know it's _me_ he's ogling.

And I see the little peephole too. From the looks of it, he just made it. Maybe even just seconds ago, considering I was hearing a _drilling_ sound.

The hole is low, about two feet up. It seems to be carefully positioned to ogle women while they're in the pool, but wouldn't have a good view of them while they're walking around or relaxing on this particular side.

I look over at Hinata, who is carefully going into the water under an outpour of encouragement from Anko. If I make a scene right now, I'll just traumatize the girl for life, and probably freak out everyone else here too.

I'm going to need to take care of this. Carefully.

And then give Jiraiya the whatfor I've been wanting to give him for the last four years of my life.

I carefully lean up against the wall. If Jiraiya doesn't know it's me, I'll just pretend to _not_ be me. "I know you're there," I say in my best throaty coo.

"Gurk!" I hear Jiraiya gurgle behind the wall.

"You're _such_ a naughty, naughty boy," I whisper in that throaty coo. "You sound like a _handsome_ devil, though. Why do you need to be hidin' around for? If you wanted to see _everything_ you could've just asked."

Jiraiya makes a _happy_ gurgle now. He thinks I'm flirting with him now.

What an idiot. He's thinking with the _wrong_ head right now, that's for sure.

"Tell you what. Go to the front entrance of the hotel, and I will be waiting for you there. And then I can show you _everything_. You like the sound of that, you daring, handsome devil?"

Jiraiya giggles again. "Oh, you bet!" he squeals, and then I hear him grunt as he gets up and charges away.

It's amazing how a single flaw, perversion, can result in the man's undoing when he should be wise enough to realize he's falling into a trap. And doesn't recognize that it's an old friend of his talking to him even though it's not in her usual voice.

I can't help but sigh. "Anko," I say, my voice sounding strange as it's getting used to not talking out of my throat again.

"Yeah?" Anko says. "What's up? You seemed obsessed with the wall for a sec."

"Just come over here," I say, signaling to her.

Anko gets out of the water and walks on over to me. "Why're you acting funny all of a sudden?"

"There's a _pervert_ outside the hotel, I just sent him to the front entrance," I say, deciding that I shouldn't mention it's _Jiraiya_. "I'm going to go there and kick his ass. You keep the girls distracted, I'll be right back."

Anko chuckles. "He don't got much to see besides you and me. Everyone here are young girls, so."

"That's not the point, Anko. I don't want the girls to freak out, and I want to give this pervert what he deserves."

Anko holds up her hands. "All right, all right, do what you gotta do, Kushina."

"Oh, I will. Count on it."

* * *

The front entrance is closed when I make it back to the main hallway, fully dressed of course. I walk up to it, and I can hear Jiraiya _still_ giggling. "Oh man, oh man, what a voice. What a voice! Like honey over barbecue! Tough and strong but sweet and thick!"

I . . .

I just . . .

I don't even . . .

Huh.

I can't even come up with a remotely right word to describe how I feel about that one, Jiraiya. I think you've basically blown my mind with _that_ little piece of genius, there.

I remember when you used to be a _writer_, Jiraiya. A true storyteller. And now . . .

You know what? Time to get this over with. I am wasting seconds that I will never get back right now.

I lean up against the door. "You still there, my sweet little devil?"

"Uh huh! Uh huh! I'm here for you, babe!" Jiraiya squeals.

"I hope you're ready. You're in for quite a show tonight," I say in the most sensual, flirty tone I can muster.

"I'm ready! I'm ready!" Jiraiya giggles.

I open the door.

Jiraiya has his arms wide, wearing the dumbest, more perverted grin I have ever seen in my life.

Then he stops.

The grin vanishes.

He stares.

His eyes widen.

And then his mouth falls open.

"_K-Kushina_?" he squeals, not in pleasure but in unadulterated _fear_. "T-That was _you_?"

"You _pervert_!" I wind up my right arm and punch Jiraiya in his perverted, middle-aged face with everything I have.

Jiraiya is _launched_ from the front step and bounces in the snow until he crashes into a tree on the very edge of the hotel's boundaries.

That felt good. But it's not enough. Not by a long shot.

I've only _just_ begun with you, Jiraiya. I meant it that you were in for "quite a show". It's just not a show you're going to be pleasured by in any sense of the word.

I march right out in the snow and walk towards Jiraiya, who's groaning at the seat of the tree I sent him crashing into. I crack my knuckles, which is something I don't usually do but it makes my right hand feel better from the stinging sensation it has now. "You goddamn _idiot_! How dare you show your face around me! Especially to _peek_ at me! What kind of disgusting, depraved man _are_ you?"

"Hey, hey! Wait, Kushina!" Jiraiya begs, holding up his hands. "I didn't know it was you! I swear I didn't know that was you!"

"That's no excuse!" I shout.

"L-Look, if it means anything, I thought you'd be all gray and wrinkly-like by now! I didn't know you'd still have the body of a babe!" Jiraiya says as I stand right over him.

Oh, that was the _wrong_ thing to say. "That doesn't justify _anything_!"

I bash him on the top of his head and he groans in pain.

"And, for the record," I spit, "I'm _thirty-seven_."

"That made my brain hurt," he moans.

"Something's gotta be rattling around in there in order for you to still be breathing," I say. I lift Jiraiya by his robe collar and drag him right in front of my face. His nose is bleeding and it looks like I'm going to leave one _hell_ of a bruise on his face.

"You piss me off," I growl. "You call yourself a sage. You have the title of 'Sannin'. And here you are, debasing yourself with these pathetic, lewd acts. Refusing to take responsibility for yourself or the child Minato and I had entrusted to you!"

"L-Look, Kushina," Jiraiya groans. "I have my reasons. Can you just put me down and listen?"

"Give me one good reason to-"

"Mom? Are you out here?"

Naruto's voice?

I turn around, to see Naruto running outside.

Naruto's eyes widen as he sees the scene. "Uh, what's going on here? Anko said you might be at the front door, but this is _outside_."

Naruto doesn't need to know _any_ of this, including that this lech is his godfather. The less time this pathetic excuse for a man spends with my son, the better. If Jiraiya wanted to get to know Naruto, he had his shot! He blew it!

At the same time . . . I need to do _something_. To justify what I'm doing right now.

Think of it. Think of it . . .

Aha! There, I got it!

I force a cheerful, happy-go-lucky smile to cross my face, so wide it makes my face hurt. "You know who this is, Naruto?" I ask in the most light-hearted tone I can muster, grabbing Jiraiya by his long mane of white hair.

"No," Naruto replies, completely confused.

I look over at Jiraiya. "This is what's called a dirty old man, Naruto."

"Hey! I'm a goddamn _sage_!" Jiraiya protests.

"A dirty old . . ." Then Naruto understands, I can see it on his face. "I get it! He's a pervert!"

"Yes, he is, Naruto," I say as I drag Jiraiya over to the trail. "He's a pervert. And this is what happens to perverts who peek on kunoichi, particularly those with super strength like me!"

I grab Jiraiya by the mane of his hair and swing him around a couple of times, building momentum. My arms don't feel the least bit tired doing this, my adrenaline is too high and my chakra is helping with reducing the strain on my arms.

Finally, I fling him down the mountain. "THIS IS GONNA _HUUUUUUUUUUURT_!" Jiraiya wails as he vanishes into the distance.

I brush off my hands, though I still feel the stink of the pervert's hair in my palms. I am sure the stink is solely in my imagination but I can't help it. I need to wash my hands. _Now_.

"This is the lesson for the day, Naruto. Don't be a pervert, or _that_ is what's gonna happen to you. Plus you will earn my eternal disappointment for growing up to be a dirty old man who takes advantage of women to satisfy his selfish desires. Understand?"

Naruto gulps. "Y-Yes, Mom."

"Good!" I say, wrapping my arm around his shoulder. "Now let's go back inside and pretend this never happened."

"O-Okay." Naruto always gets nervous when I use super strength around him. I don't know why. I've never used it on him, nor would dream of it.

I take one last look behind me. I assume Jiraiya has landed wherever I threw him to. I hope he gets the message.

He had his chance to be in my son's life. He threw it away. And now his pursuits are _this_. Pathetic.

I hope I'll never see him again.

* * *

Naruto doesn't seem to want me to let him be alone, even when the meeting is called. He just holds onto my hand tightly.

"Naruto, are you okay?"

"I-I just want to talk about the battle with you, Mom."

I know why. It was his first battle. His first _real_ battle. It was a fight for his life, and it's finally starting to hit him.

I look at the door where the meeting is being held, and then look at Naruto. No contest. I choose Naruto.

"All right. I'm going to tell Koyuki I won't be participating in the meeting then. Just hang on for a second."

"No, don't do that! It's embarrassing!" Naruto exclaims.

I immediately know the right, truthful words to say. "Naruto, there is nothing to be ashamed about. This is your first battle. You want to talk about it. You're not showing weakness here, you're showing something that is very human and natural."

I stare into his blue eyes, those blue eyes that spent eight years away from, those blue eyes I callously chose to ignore the day of his birth because I ran away from him. In that sense, I'm not much better than Jiraiya.

But here's where the difference me and Jiraiya lie. I _came back_. And I'm going to escort him into adulthood, damn it.

"Naruto, I am proud of you. I truly am. What you showed in that battle was nothing short of amazing, especially with the way you used your own Chakra Chains. You have no idea how it means to me to see you use that technique."

I can't look into his eyes anymore. I have to hug him. I have to hold him close.

"Mom, tight. Really tight," Naruto groans after I wrap my arms around him.

"Naruto, there is no embarrassment in putting family ahead of business. You are my son. You mean a lot more than some stupid princess trying to fight a war."

The door opens behind me. "I heard that."

I spin and there's Koyuki. She gives me a weird half-smile. "Sorry for the interruption, but we need to get started here, Kushina Uzumaki."

I shake my head. "Whatever Anko and Haijime Kuroishi decide is what I'll do. They're the ones you hired. They should be in charge."

Koyuki chuckles. "I'm surprised you don't want an active role in these negotiations. They could decide whether your son will live or die."

After dealing with Jiraiya, that was the _last_ thing I wanted to hear.

I envision taking Koyuki and putting a kunai through her skull and pinning her to the wall.

"Gah!" Koyuki screams, holding her head.

I don't usually showcase killing intent. It's something I'm not proud of doing. I'm not even happy I _have_ it in the first place. I don't like killing people. I don't like embracing the desire to kill either. It's what strengthens the Nine-Tails and weakens me.

"Mom?" Naruto asks, shaken. He had felt it. He hadn't seen what I had given Koyuki, as Naruto was not the target, but he felt something similar to it.

I suppress my killing intent and focus on my love for my son. I focus on his blue eyes, and I immediately feel calmed down. My son is what will prevent a tragedy like twelve years ago. I just need to think about him, and I'll be better.

"Sorry, Naruto," I say. "I won't do that again."

"I just . . . I just felt . . ."

"It wasn't directed at _you_, Naruto. It was being directed at the princess right there."

Naruto gulps. "Okay."

There's actually tears forming in his eyes. Had I really scared him that much? "Naruto, what's wrong? I didn't mean to scare you, Naruto. I'm sorry."

"It . . . it just made me remember something bad, that's all," Naruto says.

"What? Have you felt killing intent directed at you before?" I ask.

Naruto bites his lip and doesn't answer, which is all the answer I need, ironically enough.

"Who made you feel killing intent, Naruto? Who directed it at you?" I ask, touching his shoulders. Could it have been Mizuki that made him feel it? Or was it the shopkeeper that abused Naruto when he was just five years ago, before Anko saved him?

Wait.

Wait.

Oh my . . .

Anko. I overheard her talk about the "darkness" inside her. What if . . . What if . . .

Koyuki is on her hands and knees, shaking. "I . . . I thought that was the legendary ninja killing intent. I just saw myself being murdered by you."

"I just wanted you to have an idea of what you're dealing with," I say, not exactly paying attention. What I am thinking about is in the room beyond.

A young woman I have trusted for the last four years. The young woman who is Naruto's sensei and "soul sister"

The young woman who openly talked about a darkness she had inside of her in front of Koyuki just this morning, right before the battle.

I can feel myself reaching for my kunai. What did she do to my son?

No, wait. I must be going crazy. Why would it be _Anko_? It could have been anyone, wouldn't it?

But if it was just anyone, why wouldn't Naruto say anything about it? If it was just a random stranger, or someone from Konoha that Naruto wouldn't particularly care about or try to cover it up for?

And then . . . the hints I hear. The little off-hand remarks about Naruto and Anko's first year together not being so smooth.

I have to be losing my mind. Jiraiya pushed me to the edge and then _this_ is shoving me over it.

Koyuki stands up, shaking her head and holding it like she has a massive headache. "I don't care if your son has to sit with you in this meeting, but I absolutely need you here. My final phase of the ninja phase of my battle plan is late, much later than I thought he would be, and without him I'm going to need _you_, Kushina Uzumaki."

"Really," I say, again, not really paying much attention to Koyuki.

Get the paranoia out of your head, Kushina. Anko is one of the few people you can trust. If you can't trust her, you can't trust anyone besides Naruto.

I just . . . I just . . .

"Mom, look! It's the pervy sage again! Behind us!" Naruto shouts again.

That snaps me right out of thinking of Anko. "_What_?"

Jiraiya is staring at us, covered in mud and tree branches sticking out of his hair. His eyes widen upon seeing me. "Aw crap, not again."

I march right towards him. "How many times do I have to throw you off the mountain before you get the message?"

"Kushina, stop!" Koyuki shouts.

"Why should I?" I ask as I march right up to him, ready to heave him out the door.

"He's the final phase of my plan! Jiraiya, one of the three legendary Sannin, is the most important part of all!" Koyuki yells.

"He's _what_?" I ask, staring between her and back to Jiraiya, who gives me a sheepish grin.

"What can I say? I'm in demand by the ladies today," Jiraiya replies.

Okay. Time to focus. Worry about Anko and killing intent and Koyuki being a lying manipulator and Naruto's possible trauma later. Get your head focused on one thing at a time and knock it all out. Starting with _this_.

"All right. Someone tell me what the _hell_ is going on. Now."

* * *

A/N: Mandatory Jiraiya stupidity is mandatory. Heh.


	31. Intent

DayZeroFlash: I'm aware "Raikiri" (aka Lightning Blade) is Kakashi's ultimate technique, but the Chidori is still a nasty piece of work and if people don't know better, the "Chidori" looks like an ultimate technique to them. Plus . . . Anko likes being dramatic. XD

dracoholo117: Lol, good thing you're not Kushina then. Jiraiya kinda needs to be_ alive_ in this story. XD

Trubeque: Heh, Jiraiya will be Jiraiya, what can I say? He does have justification for his non-perverted actions, though.

Riku Uzumaki: I agree wholeheartedly. XD

New chapter time! And . . . well . . .

Just read on.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-One: Intent**

_Kushina Uzumaki_

"So let me get this straight," I say in the meeting room. "You managed to hire Jiraiya, one of the three legendary Sannin, to act as a _diversion_ so the other ninja can move in and assassinate Doto Kazahana?"

"Jiraiya is one of the few ninja in the world that are well-known to all, civilian, ninja, ashigaru, samurai, you name it," Koyuki says. "His mere presence will demoralize Doto Kazahana's forces. It's psychological warfare. Of course, I have paid Jiraiya most handsomely out of what little treasury money I was able to swipe six years ago when I had to flee the Land of Snow."

"When your erotica is a international bestseller, I suppose you can't help but _be_ famous," I say, looking right at Jiraiya as I said this.

Jiraiya does something that both Naruto and Anko do a lot, scratch the back of his head nervously with a sheepish grin. He's cleaned up a bit since he came in here, but he still looks like he went crashing down a mountain. Which makes sense, considering I sent him crashing down a mountain _literally_.

Seeing him just makes my blood boil. What makes matters worse is that if I did attack him, Jiraiya would make no attempt to defend himself. That much is clear.

His behavior outside was _odd_. It was almost like he _wanted_ me to hurt him. For some reason, I doubt Jiraiya would be so self-loathing. His "Make Out" books don't show any sign of him being a "tortured writer" to bring out a classic stereotype. But maybe it's not Jiraiya in general and just how he feels towards me.

Of course, this is all conjecture and I could be projecting onto him. But that's the impression I am getting by looking at this man.

Naruto holds my right hand with his left then. "Why does he make you so mad?" he asks softly.

"I will explain when the meeting's over," I reply.

Naruto's reaction to being exposed to my killing intent that I sent to Koyuki is also looming over my head. New genin don't typically take being exposed to killing intent well, they're _children_ . . . but Naruto was on the verge of shutting down completely and he was starting to cry. Maybe this would be typical of ordinary genin, but this is _not_ typical of my son. Naruto doesn't act like that.

So much on my mind. I'll be surprised if I get any sleep tonight.

I squeeze Naruto's hand, just a bit. Koyuki granted permission for Naruto to sit here, as long as he didn't disturb the meeting. Naruto surprisingly has kept true to that request. But it's clear that feeling my killing intent has been what's brought on the change in Naruto's behavior.

He can't look at Anko in the eye either, which makes me think _she_ has something to do with it.

Anko's acting like nothing's wrong, like she's not noticing. Hell, the first thing she did when she saw Jiraiya was yank out her copy of "Make Out Paradise" and ask Jiraiya to autograph it. Which, of course, he did.

I can't help but wonder if it really _is_ Anko.

"Kushina."

The sound of my name jars me out of my thoughts. "Yes?"

Koyuki sighs. "You looked like you drifted off for a second."

"I am thinking about a lot of things right now, Koyuki. You can't blame me for that. A lot has happened today. It's almost midnight, we're all getting tired too."

Koyuki sighs. "True. Then I'll keep this brief. Sandayuu, take out the map of Uncle Doto's fortress city."

Sandayuu dutifully unfolds it and begins talking. "We don't have the forces to attempt a siege. Where you ninja come in is getting the gate open to let our troops come inside and killing or incapacitating Doto Kazahana to put his forces in disarray."

"How many troops do you have?" Jiraiya asks. His voice and face are both serious. He means business now. In this moment, he actually _does_ come off like a sage.

"We'll have roughly two thousand, and half are the mercenary ashigaru," Koyuki replies. "The rest are samurai and scattered ashigaru fighting for me. However, Doto's own forces number roughly the same amount. He has not fathomed the possibility of coming under attack at his headquarters. If he sounds the alarm, though, he will have locomotives carrying reinforcements on the way and fast."

"Why don't you just destroy the rails that these locomotives run on?" Jiraiya asks.

"I've already dispatched some samurai to do so. After we launch our strike, they will destroy the rails with earth techniques the moment the trains attempt to arrive. That will cause chaos and buy us some time," Koyuki replies.

Hajime sighs. "What I'm wondering is whether Doto Kazahana has already sounded the alarm and began sending reinforcements here."

Sandayuu shakes his head. "No. I know Nadare Roga. He will claim he can take care of this himself, especially with Doto Kazahana's invasion plan of the Land of Iron about to begin. They divert too many troops here they won't be able to mount an effective assault on the Land of Iron's formidable defenses."

"They're _really_ going to attack the legendary samurai of the Land of Iron?" Haijime asks. "That's suicide!"

"He decimated the Land of Snow's own formidable samurai, Haijime," Koyuki replies. "With ninja and ashigaru armed with the teppou. The Land of Iron and eventually the shinobi nations will fall the same way. The ninja will be reduced to a small cabal dwindling smaller and smaller by the year, and-"

"I understand your point, stop repeating yourself," Haijime sighs.

"I would not repeat myself if I felt you grasped what I'm saying," Koyuki replies.

Koyuki's condescension is not helping her case. Especially as she makes this so _obvious_. I choose to speak instead, stopping the argument before it begins. "Clearly, what we are trying to do is prevent a world war. Regardless of whether attacking the Land of Iron is madness or not, it's pretty clear that Doto Kazahana intends to do it."

"That's it, Kushina," Jiraiya says, nodding. "That's the reason why I decided to get involved. It's in the best interests of every nation that Koyuki Kazahana overthrows her uncle. We could prevent a lot of bloodshed by doing this."

He grins at Koyuki. "Well, that and we don't have many beautiful ladies in charge of nations either."

Koyuki holds up her hand. "Flirt with me and die."

Jiraiya just sighs. "Ice queen to the very end."

I guess that means Jiraiya was just trying to loosen Koyuki up with that statement and he failed. I'm hoping that was the intent anyway.

Koyuki points to the map. "Right now, my plan involves a quick, divisive assault. The job of you ninja is to infiltrate and dispatch specific objectives. One team is going to get the gate open. That'll be the task of the Grass team. The Leaf team, which will include our S-ranked jonin Kushina Uzumaki, is going to infiltrate the interior of the castle itself and either kill or incapacitate Doto Kazahana. For both teams, the secondary objective is dispatching Nadare Roga and his squad."

Wonderful. Because I'm the highest-ranking jonin on _that_ team, killing Doto Kazahana falls to _me_. I'm not looking forward to attempting an assassination, but at the same time, everything about Doto Kazahana portrays him as a genocidal madman. He has to die.

Koyuki looks over at Jiraiya. "Once the gate's down, the assault will begin. Your job is to cause chaos. Cause as much as possible and disrupt the enemy's response. You only need to do this for a couple of minutes, that's all my troops will need to get through the gate and into the fortress."

"Sounds fun," Jiraiya says with a smile.

"What about the Sound team? Or Fuu?" I ask. "I notice she's not here even though she basically is the representative of Taki."

"The Sound team I'll likely attach to the Grass team if the Sound team opts to defect. That way we have some help in getting the gate open. As for Fuu, I honestly don't give a damn. She can go with your team if she must get involved," Koyuki replies.

"She's not kidding when she said she's a jinchuuriki," I reply.

Koyuki sighs. "Then she'll provide some additional firepower to the assassination of my uncle. Truthfully, I did not plan for her presence."

"You did not plan for my presence either," I reply.

Koyuki smiles. "Yes, but you are an S-ranked jonin. I'm willing to redraw battle plans to fit _you_ in. I will not do so for a genin from a minor ninja village, jinchuuriki or not."

If Fuu was here, I can just imagine her general reaction to that statement. "I see," I reply, keeping myself neutral.

"I'll go over the plans in more detail tomorrow," Koyuki replies. "Throughout the night and tomorrow, we'll have more forces arriving. We are roughly three or four hours away from having the fortress in sight. Once we're set, we're going to need to be swift and lethal."

Koyuki nods to Sandayuu, who dutifully folds up the map. "Go turn in for the night and rest. I'll go over the details of each objective on a specific level with you tomorrow."

Anko Mitarashi, who has not said a word this whole time, just sighs in relief. "All righty then."

"I'm counting on all of you," Koyuki replies. "You ninja are the most important of all. Help me win this war."

Personally, I'm left wondering whether Koyuki will be much of an improvement over Doto. Koyuki is a cold, calculating person, and a true schemer.

Just like I had heard Anko say when she was facing off against the Oto team, it was a choice between bad and worse.

And, unfortunately, there is no third option.

So, just like Anko and her team, I have no choice but to choose _bad_.

* * *

They did not have a room allotted for me, as I was not in the original plan. Fuu was being bunked with Hinata, and that left me with Anko. I knew that Naruto wanted to talk to me though, so I walk into his room after dumping what stuff I had into the room I was going to share with Anko.

"Naruto," I say as I close the door behind me. "We're alone now. Tell me what's wrong. Is it the battle? Or the killing intent you felt from me?"

"The battle wasn't too bad," Naruto replies. "To be honest, I wanted to ask what you thought I can do to get better. Those Chakra Chains really wear me out."

"They wore me out too when I first started to use them," I reply. "I can show you how to be more efficient when you're generating them. Even though you have a lot of reserves you're wasting so much chakra that you're tapped out after just a few minutes. It's easily fixable, but you need practice and more efficient chakra control."

"I was kinda hoping to impress ya to be honest," Naruto says with an uneasy smile. "I mean, I can only create two chains but it's better than one, right?"

"Not necessarily," I reply, realizing Naruto's mistake right away.

"Really?" Naruto asks, eyes wide.

"What you did is skip step one, which is mastering summoning _one_ chain," I reply.

Naruto blinks. He doesn't quite get it yet. But that's okay. He's a genin. He'll figure it out.

"You need to do this one step at a time, Naruto. Now, just show me how you summon the Chakra Chains."

"Uh, okay." Naruto focuses, and then begins making hand signs.

I immediately see what's going on right away. Naruto's chakra concentration is sloppy. Even without the chains taking on physical form he's wasting the chakra.

"Chakra Chains Technique!" Naruto yells, and I see the pair of chains spring to life.

So much chakra is being wasted that I can almost _see_ it all. I can sense it, though. Sense a lot of it being burned up without being used to maintain the chains. And with two chains out, it's doubling the strain on Naruto . . . hell, doubling _everything_.

"All right, disengage the chains," I reply.

"Okay." The chains vanish from existence.

"Watch how I do it. I'm going to do it slowly and carefully," I say. "Follow my movements."

I don't need hand signs to launch the Chakra Chains anymore, but Naruto isn't going to learn unless I demonstrate the signs to him. So I slowly and carefully have my hands perform the four signs it used to take to perform the technique. "Chakra Chains Technique."

I only focused enough to launch a single, solitary chain. Naruto's eyes widen as he sees it. I think he's starting to get it. Naruto's a visual learner, he can't just _hear_ how it should be done, he needs to _see_ it. And see it demonstrated in a clear, precise way.

"You see?" I ask as I hold the chain. "You need to do it the way I did it. Do it smoothly. We're not in a battle situation so there's no need to rush the technique. We're going to start with one, and then advance from there."

"All right, like this?" Naruto does the hand signs. "Chakra Chains Technique!"

A lone chain emanates into existence. I immediately see the improvement, though Naruto is still wasting chakra. It's a significantly less amount though, not like he's hemorrhaging it like before.

"Better," I say, and I can't help but smile. This is yet more proof that Naruto just isn't built for the classroom. This is what he needs. Personalized, one-on-one instruction.

I let my chain vanish. "Watch me again."

I make the hand signs again and launch the single chain. "Repeat it after me."

Naruto does so, and his own chain re-appears. Again, noticeable improvement. Still way too much of it going to waste, but it's not as noticeable. It's an exponential improvement, but the closer he gets to getting it right, the more difficult it will be to perfect.

My heart beats quicker in excitement. I think I could have Naruto able to make one chain perfectly in a few hours at this rate. Of course, multiple chains is another matter entirely. I think it would take Naruto a month of consistent, daily instruction to make the chains appear like I make mine, and then there's the learning how to perform the technique without hand signs which can take much longer.

Still! After just two attempts, he's doing it so much better!

"That's right! Keep focusing! Get those hand signs perfect!" I say, disengaging my lone chain again. "I'm going to demonstrate it one more time, and then we're going to see if you can do it without watching me first, all right?"

"Okay!" Naruto says, as his counterpart chain vanishes. "Let's do this!"

"That's the spirit." I focus, and make the hand signs one more time, a little bit faster this time to see if Naruto can still follow my movements. "Chakra Chains Technique!"

* * *

It's three in the morning before I realize how late it is, and Naruto is close to collapse. His last attempt, though, he pretty much had it right, with a minimum amount of wasted chakra. "Why did we decide to do this after midnight?" Naruto moans as he relaxes against my shoulder, my arm wrapped around him.

"You got me," I say. "Maybe we're both crazy."

"I'm not gonna want to get up in the morning," Naruto says.

"I'll ask Anko to let you sleep in an extra hour or two," I promise. "After all, it's not like you were messing around. You were practicing with me. I'm sure Anko will grant it."

Naruto smiles at me. "Heh. Thanks."

I'm tired myself, but I feel good. It's really a pleasant surprise to see Naruto wanting to learn my Chakra Chains technique. It means a lot to see it demonstrated in front of me, actually. It makes me feel like I'm passing it onto another generation, and, someday, Naruto can improve on what I've done with the technique and pass it on to the next child, and so on.

"Thank you, Naruto," I finally say.

"For what?" Naruto asks. "I oughta be thanking _you_, Mom."

I chuckle. "For learning my technique. It was really nice to see it being used in that battle. You're using it well. You just need to get the control down and you'll be well on the path to mastering it someday. It's going to be useful for our future Hokage, right?"

Naruto beams. "Right."

Seeing Naruto smile like that just makes me feel like doing cartwheels. I just feel so young when I see it. As it is, I hold Naruto closer. "I'm proud of you. I'm really proud of you. You did so well."

"Thank you, Mom," Naruto says softly.

Something halting in Naruto's tone. Uh oh. "Is something wrong?"

Silence. I don't like hearing silence. "Naruto, are you okay?"

Naruto looks up at me, biting his lip. "I'm sorry, I . . . I just drifted off."

"Naruto, is it about earlier?" I ask. I'm left thinking about the killing intent I had used on Koyuki which had paralyzed her, but had affected Naruto as well. It had effectively made Naruto shut down. That's normal. Not of my son.

Naruto separates from me and looks away. I know this behavior. Something is wrong. Very wrong. Now my heart is beating quicker not from happiness, but from worry.

"Mom," Naruto finally says. "I never wanted to tell you this. But you just saw it. I can't . . . Mom, I can't . . ."

He pauses. I don't know whether to say anything, or if saying something will just make Naruto go silent and I'll be left wondering what's going on. I can't stand it.

I finally decide to say something. "Naruto, it's all right. I'm right here."

"I'm just afraid you'll kill Anko," Naruto finally says, his voice grave.

That . . . tells me everything.

Anko Mitarashi. The girl I had seen mature over the last four years, transforming from a teenage girl into a young woman who has grown steadily more responsible and kind-hearted.

It was _her_ that did this to my son all along.

Keep it down. Keep it down, Kushina. Don't lose it. Not now. If you do Naruto won't open up to you ever again. "Naruto," I say, doing everything I can to keep my voice calm and neutral. "What do you mean by that?"

"I can't hide it anymore," Naruto says. "Mom, Anko was . . . was . . ."

He pauses. "Anko was . . ."

It takes me a moment to realize that Naruto is _starting to cry_. "She was . . ."

I slowly reach around Naruto's back and slowly wrap my arms around him. "Naruto, it's okay," I whisper. "It's okay."

Stay strong. You have to stay strong. Don't cry. Don't you _dare_ cry. You'll just make Naruto worried about you and he'll close off again.

"I just . . . she just . . . she wasn't a . . . she wasn't who she is now," Naruto finally says, his voice choked up.

"It's all right," I say. "It's all right. You can tell me everything."

"I can't handle it," Naruto says, his voice more air than anything else. "I can't handle it. I just feel _stupid_ but I can't handle it. And I can't hide it anymore."

He's not making a lot of sense, but I know what he's saying. He can't handle killing intent. That would be normal except Naruto's lack of tolerance for it went beyond normalcy. And that was just feeling it be directed towards _someone else_. If it was directed at _him_ Naruto would be completely helpless.

Now it's making sense. How Mizuki must have caught Naruto so easily to abuse him two months ago. All it took was hitting Naruto with killing intent and he would shut down.

And the person responsible is Anko Mitarashi.

I feel a boiling anger rising inside me. I _trusted_ Anko. Trusted her with my son and left her alone with Naruto when I was on missions for the last four years. And she _did this_ to him and I never knew. I never knew one bit what had happened.

And it all stems back to me running away the night Naruto was born. Because if I had stayed, Naruto would never have been in the position to be . . . to be . . . I can't even think of the word.

It's still ultimately my fault.

I bite down on it inwardly. Naruto will sense it before too long. I have to stay strong. I can't shed tears or begin shaking in anger or Naruto will get nervous. In fact, that's probably why Naruto doesn't like seeing me demonstrating my abilities. It's because he had a strong woman in his life who used her strength to . . .

Keep it together. You have to keep it together, Kushina. Focus. Focus on your son. Focus on _him_.

"I understand," I whisper. I have to whisper or my voice will shake too much. "I understand. It's okay. It's okay."

"It's so stupid!" Naruto yells, and I maintain my grip on him, strong and firm but comforting.

"It's not stupid," I reply. "It's not stupid, Naruto. You know it's not."

I take my right hand and slowly rub Naruto's back, and I feel the kunai scars. I had always figured that the villagers had done this to Naruto, but now . . .

"It was Anko who did this," I say, taking some of the burden off of Naruto.

"I knew you'd take her away if I said something," Naruto sobs. "I knew you would. S-She's not that p-person anymore, Mom. She's _not_!"

It doesn't excuse her, Naruto. She abused you. She may have stopped and now she loves you, and you love her, but it doesn't excuse what she's done before.

"E-Every little thing I did wrong, she . . . I saw myself dying so many times, I . . . it hurt. It all hurt and I just . . . I wanted to go but there was nowhere to go . . . I figured the old man was punishing me, ya know? P-Punishing me because I drove everyone crazy. They all hated me and I didn't know why," Naruto sobs.

It takes every ounce of self-control to not burst into tears. My poor son. I had always wondered who the coward was who had done this to my son. I never knew she was right in front of me.

"I didn't know what I was doing wrong," Naruto cries softly.

"Don't blame yourself," I say. Privately, I'm amazed my voice hasn't started cracking or trembling. "Don't blame yourself. You were just a child."

I reach up and rub my son's face, rubbing his thin little whisker marks, letting his tears stream down the backs of my fingers and hand. How dare she do this to him. These scars Naruto will have to live with for his whole life, and it's because of _her_. "It's all right. It's all right."

"Please don't kill her," Naruto moans. "Don't kill her."

"I won't," I reply.

"_Please_," Naruto begs.

"I promise you I won't," I reply.

"She's not that person anymore," Naruto says. "She came back one night and never hit or cut me again. She _changed_, Mom. Please."

"I know, Naruto. It's okay. I won't kill her."

I wrap him tightly in my arms and let him cry on my shoulder. I stroke the back of his neck and bury my face in his fuzzy head and kiss it, ignoring the strands of hair that stick to my lips. "It's okay. It's okay."

Naruto doesn't say anything more. He just cries, and I hold him tightly in my arms, letting him wrap his own arms around me desperately, like I could slip away and fall into some crevasse at a moment's notice. I don't let go. I don't let go until he cries himself to sleep, and I slowly, gently, lay him into his bed and pull the sheets over him.

Only when I leave the room do I let the anger inside me rush out.

No more tears.

I look over to the room I'm sharing with Anko. She's blissfully asleep in there. She has no idea. No idea at all what I've found out.

I walk over there and slowly open the door. She's snoring. She has the _audacity_ to snore like some pampered _bitch_ after what she did. It may have been years ago, but that's not forgivable.

I shut the doors behind me. "Chakra Chains Barrier," I whisper softly.

The chains shoot out over the room, covering it in a force shield. There will be no escape for her. Not from what she's wrought.

She groans. She knows something is wrong, but doesn't know what.

I think it's about time she finds out.

All of my anger and sorrow pours out on me as I fill the room with killing intent. It's almost satisfying to hear Anko shriek in surprise and terror, and see her scramble from her bed and crawl to the edge of the room only to bang her head on the force shield. She moans as she clutches her head, and I slowly move towards the edge of the room, as Anko fumbles around, trying to figure out why she can't escape.

She spins around, tears in her eyes. "Oh, Kushina."

The sense of resignation in her words tells me she knows. She knows.

"How does it feel, Anko?" I ask, and I consciously give her another wave of my darkest wishes for her.

Anko screams again, clutching her head. She hyperventilates, and sobs, and shakes like she's having a seizure.

It's still not good enough. I _want_ to hurt her. It's taking every bit of my self-control to not give in to my darkest desires right here and now, and that's because of Naruto. I promised him I would not kill Anko.

I will never break a promise to my son.

"Please," Anko begs, her voice cracked and choked up. "Please no more."

"Did you ever give Naruto the time of day when he begged _you_ to stop?" I ask.

"Please," Anko begs. "I just saw myself die to you breaking my neck, to you slicing my throat open, to you burning me alive, and to you ripping my intestines out with those chains of yours. And I felt it. I felt it _all_. The pain . . . the _everything_."

She looks up to me, tears pouring from her quivering eyes. "Please stop."

Pathetic! She's a coward just like Jiraiya!

I grab Anko and slam her against the barrier and she cries out in pain. "I promised Naruto I would not kill you," I spit. "But give me one good reason to not scar you the way you scarred my son."

I only faintly blanch at how cruel and vicious I'm being. It's like I'm watching this from a distance away, almost. Like I'm an observer to an entirely different Kushina.

"Tell me why this kunai shouldn't etch itself across your face," I say, grabbing a kunai out of my right holster.

"P-Please, Kushina, I-I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Anko begs.

"Sorry? You expect mercy over _sorry_?" I shout.

"That's . . . that's all I have," Anko sobs. "I . . . I have given Naruto . . . nothing but love . . . for six years. I'm sorry, Kushina . . . I'm sorry . . ."

I almost do it. I almost cut Anko open across the face. But as I begin the slashing motion, I stop. It's like I'm back inside my body now. And I see Anko, completely submissive, sobbing in front of my face, and I realize something important.

I can't do it.

I just can't.

I'm not that kind of person, no matter how angry I get.

My hand is shaking too much to put my kunai back in my holster. I just let it land on the floor with a solid _thunk_.

"K-Kushina?" Anko stammers.

My legs are shaking so much that I can't even stand up anymore. I fall to the ground, taking Anko down with me, sliding her down the barrier. Only now do the tears come. Only now do I release Anko from her vulnerable position.

"Tell me," I sob. "Tell me why you would do this to my son."

I look up and blink away the tears so I can see Anko clearly. I wait to see the monster that's lurking underneath her, but Anko is still crying, she is still the Anko I've known for the last four years.

"Kushina," Anko breathes, "I . . . I knew you would find out . . . someday . . ."

"And t-that turned out to be _today_," I cry. "Tell me _why_. Now. Please"

"I was . . . wrong, Kushina," Anko says softly.

She bites her lip. "I'll . . . I'll tell you _everything_, Kushina. Start to finish. Please. Let me have that much."

"Why should I?" I ask.

"I don't expect you t-to let me stay Naruto's sensei . . . or his soul sister," Anko says. "Or even g-get your forgiveness. All I want . . . is your understanding. That's all I want."

"All right," I say. "Tell me the truth, and maybe you'll have my understanding. Maybe."

"D-Don't interrupt," Anko says softly. "Just let me talk . . . please."

"Then talk," I say. "I'll stay silent."

"T-Thank you."

And then Anko begins to tell her story.

* * *

A/N: Naruto Uzumaki in this story is not the Naruto Uzumaki in canon. He is more open with his feelings, he is vulnerable sometimes. But Naruto Uzumaki still has the Will of Fire. He will not give in. He will never give in. And . . . if you're willing to be patient, Naruto will soon be kicking some serious ass, using brains and brawn to dismantle any opponent in his way. Naruto . . . is learning nuance because he has family and friends.

And . . . most of all, he still has forgiveness and the ability to change people. He changed Anko Mitarashi from the bloodthirsty borderline-sociopath that Orochimaru discarded like a bug into the person she has become in this fic. Chapter 32 will reveal how and why.

The question for Kushina, however . . . and for you, the reader . . .

Would YOU forgive Anko Mitarashi after hearing the truth from her?


	32. Epiphany

Wow. I got so many reviews and PMs about chapter 31 all at once I was wondering if I like broke the Internet or something. XD

That's what controversy does, I guess. I am sure this chapter will be controversial too.

I am not going to be able to post this chapter during normal hours, so I'm putting it up a bit early. Also . . . no real time to respond to reviews here (I PMed some of you responses, though). I'm working three jobs right now, my schedule's a massive headache. There'd be no updates right now if I didn't have a massive buffer to go through.

Anyway . . . here. If anyone is still willing to read on after the doozy of the last chapter . . .

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Two: Epiphany**

_Anko Mitarashi_

I don't remember much of what I was like as a kid. Or what Orochimaru had me do. He did some memory-wiping thing to me and dumped me in Konoha after he was exiled from the village. I felt _used_. I felt like garbage. I felt like I had been spat out after giving it everything I had, and I had no idea what I had given everything I had _for_.

I was angry. I wanted to kill things. I wanted a fight. Anything to make me feel better.

I found out that I was a chuunin from Lord Hokage . . . who back then I just felt was a stupid old geezer who liked lecturing people. He told me he would find something to do for me, but the weeks dragged on and I got mad. I felt restless. I wanted to fight someone. I wanted to _hurt_ someone. I even fantasized about slicing the Hokage's throat open . . . and I wanted to taste the blood.

I kept it all down when I was in front of the Hokage. I forced myself to be polite. I kept telling myself, just be nice. Just be nice. He'll give you the chance at something if you just stay nice. But whenever I was away from the Hokage, I would walk around. I would go looking for a fight. And I did fight. I drank even though I was underage and started beating on men older and more experienced than me and started cutting them open with kunai. I found blood tasted even better when I was drunk.

For some reason, none of that seemed to reach the old man's ears. Perhaps the men were just too embarrassed that their asses were getting kicked by a teen girl. I dunno.

But, after a few weeks of it, I just couldn't wait anymore. I was making no money. I wasn't doing anything worth my time. And people would look at me funny, like I was gonna morph into a monster in front of them. I would just glare and they'd back away. That made me feel a little better. I liked it that they were afraid of me. I felt strong.

But I just couldn't stand my life being stationary anymore. I was going to go out for a while, to a place where no one knew me. Where a dumb old geezer wasn't in charge of the village and knew what to do with someone like me.

That's when I passed by a shopkeeper beating up on Naruto for painting graffiti all over his clay pots.

I stood and watched for a second, and I decided to do some "anger management". The shopkeeper looked like an asshole anyway. So I took him and put his head through the wall.

Of course, before I could get away, Naruto walked up and tugged on my beige coat. "Whaddya want?" I asked him.

"Thanks," he told me.

I scoffed at him. "I don't need your thanks. I just need to get outta here."

"What's your name?" he asked.

"You don't have to know," I replied.

Of course, before I could do that, witnesses started flooding the scene, and it became clear I was going nowhere, so.

And before I knew it I was being dragged back up to the old man's place alongside the little kid.

* * *

The old man actually looked _inspired_ for once. "I never expected you to step in to save a child," he told me.

"I did it because I felt like it," I replied. "Who's the little kid anyway? He looks kinda funny with those whiskers on his face."

"His name is Naruto Uzumaki," the old man replied.

I didn't know the kid's appearance, but I knew the name. "Wait, _that's_ the Naruto I hear everybody complainin' about?" I asked.

"He is," the old man said. "And, believe it or not, this actually gives me an idea."

"What?" I asked, dreading his answer because I knew where he was going with this, you know?

"Naruto is a young boy who's been alone his whole life. You too have been alone for a long time and don't have many memories of your last several years. You're just old enough to make it worthwhile," the old man said.

He told me about _you_, Kushina. He told me how you had been the jinchuuriki, the protector of Konoha, but there had been a tragedy the night Naruto was born and Kushina had opted to leave. And I was _pissed_ upon hearing that. You just ran away and now I'm stuck with your kid. I was angry. Really angry. But the old man made it clear I did _not_ have a choice in the matter. No orphanage would take Naruto in both because of what his mother did and because Naruto was a tiny terror. Because I was energetic and stuff, just as much as Naruto, the old man thought I would be a good match.

I was just angry.

Naruto didn't like me very much, and now that I'm older and everything it makes sense. He kept acting out, annoying me, asking for ramen and yelling at me for never cooking it right. It was only a week . . . only a week before I couldn't take it anymore.

I wanted to hurt him. I wanted to make him shut up. I wanted him to leave me alone.

What I did to him did make him shut up. It did make him leave me alone. I felt powerful. I felt like I had the kid's life in my hands and the kid knew it and I _loved_ that dominating feeling. I would hit Naruto with killing intent whenever he got annoying or did something that the village didn't like and that _always_ made the kid stop. And when Naruto would get over the shock, he would always run off to some corner to cry, and I would think _Serves you right_.

Kushina, I'm gonna be honest with you. I could not understand the agony I was putting Naruto through. Naruto was just a _thing_ to me. An annoying piece of baggage the Hokage had forced upon my neck. Like a noose. Naruto was sucking away my money and my time, and that was pissing me off too. And even when I tried to do nice things, Naruto was never appreciative of it, and that just made me angry and hurt the kid more.

When I came home from missions, Naruto was always in more trouble. He did something stupid at school, he did something stupid to an apartment, he did something stupid to the Hyuga clan, the Inuzuka clan, the Uchiha clan, you name it. And I was like "Can't you go one frickin' mission without getting in trouble"? I didn't realize it was Naruto calling for help. He was begging for help and no one would give it to him.

And I was becoming disliked around the village too. People would look at the things Naruto did and then look at me like it was _my_ fault. That just made me _mad_. I'm away doing a stupid C-rank so I have enough money to pay rent and utilities and buy food and occasionally clothes or something! What am I supposed to do about it, huh?

So I just got angrier. The angrier I became, the more I attacked Naruto, verbally and physically. The kid continued to shrink in the house, and I felt like there would come a point when he wouldn't dare to get in trouble again, but that is what he did. He got in trouble.

One day, I snapped.

I cut him and licked his blood.

He cried and I told him he deserved it.

It made me feel better.

I never went that far again but after the day I did that to him, Naruto would start retreating into his own little world whenever I lost it, like nothing in this world would register to him. Not that I cared.

It was a fire inside me. Burning and consuming everything in its way, and it wanted to consume Naruto. Break the kid and burn him into ash. But Naruto . . . he has this spirit, Kushina. He always has. He didn't break. He would cry and he would hide and he would scream and yell at me and cause more trouble . . . but he wouldn't break. I slowly began to respect that in an odd way.

The Hokage never investigated. I think he didn't want to know what I was doing to Naruto whenever I got mad. He was hoping that Naruto and I would change each other. Well, I was changing Naruto all right, I was making the kid more mean-spirited and hostile.

Naruto's pranks, once filled with innocence, were getting increasingly violent and dangerous, hurting people rather than just annoying them. And he would start actively sabotaging the teachers as opposed to just distracting them. This made the feedback on Naruto worse, he was flunking everything, and I just got angrier and angrier at the kid and I couldn't understand why.

Then, almost a year after the Hokage had dumped Naruto on me, came that B-ranked mission I told you about. I wanted more money. Maybe if I could buy Naruto and I some extra clothes or a night at a restaurant maybe I could make the kid behave, I thought. By bribing him.

That didn't work out so well. The serial killer was far more lethal than anyone had thought, and a bunch of chuunin weren't gonna get the job done.

It was right when I was swamped with the enemy's Giant Vortex Technique when it happened.

I had just been washed away, and I was coughing and gasping for air as the water receded from me, and the enemy, this muscular man with scars all over his face, walked towards me, everyone else stuck in a water prison, drowning.

Naruto's image appeared in my brain.

And then . . . this ache. This tiny little ache seemed to seed itself inside my chest.

I didn't understand what it was.

I just knew that if I died there was no one else who was gonna take care of the kid. Despite everything I had done to him, Naruto had not run away from me. Everything outside of our apartment was even worse. Naruto would rather be bullied by me than walk out in the world and be abused, bullied, and ignored by everyone else.

That realization, I think . . . is what created that ache.

If I died, what would happen to that kid?

I had to live. I had to live and make it back home for that kid.

So I fought. He drenched me and tried to drown me. I just marched right through it all and he just could not kill me or wash me away. Not while so much of his chakra was concentrated on imprisoning, drowning, the rest of the squad.

I made it right up to him and cut him down.

I was confused after that. I didn't know what the ache was or why it was connected to Naruto. It was weakness, the fire told me. Weakness that needed to be stomped out immediately. But when I tried to do that, I realized how _warm_ the ache felt. It didn't feel right, to abuse and hurt something that felt so warm.

I was making a mistake, the fire told me. I had to get rid of it or it was never gonna go away. It was gonna make me weak. It was gonna make me sentimental and soft and vulnerable. It would just get me abandoned all over again just like what had happened with Orochimaru. The only way for me to be strong was to be the way I was then.

But I couldn't do it. It didn't feel right.

So I went home with that tiny little ache in my heart that was attached to Naruto. I didn't even stop to get paid at the Hokage's residence. I went right to the apartment, wondering why this ache existed. Why it was attached to Naruto.

Why this kid seemed to matter.

I opened the door, and Naruto was right there. He glared at me. "Whaddya want?" he asked me.

To come home after almost dying. What an ungrateful brat. He wouldn't have a home if I had died back there!

I nearly did it again. I nearly struck him again. I nearly screamed at him again.

But the ache inside me seemed to . . . I dunno. I can't explain it, but the ache told me not to do it. It was soft, it was warm, and it felt wonderful. It was different from the fire.

That's when I realized what the ache was. It finally hit me that Naruto was dependent on me, that despite everything I had done to him, he was still lingering around my apartment because he had no one else.

And without me, he would just be alone and at the mercy of the village that despised him, so.

He stopped being a kid in that moment. The ache grew in my heart as I stood there at the front door, and the fire told me to resist it. To resist this ache, to burn it up and throw it away, but I couldn't.

I finally realized I was doing something wrong with Naruto.

That he . . . he just needed . . . that _I_ just needed . . .

I walked to him, bent down to his level, and hugged him.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm sorry."

"Let go of me," Naruto replied.

"I'm so sorry," I said.

Naruto started to struggle. "Let go of me!"

"Naruto, I'm sorry!"

He bit me on the shoulder and I let go of him upon feeling the flash of pain. Naruto backed away from me, backed up to the wall, tears in his confused, angry eyes. "What're ya doin'? What's up with ya all of a sudden? Are you just makin' fun of me now? Huh?"

The fire told me to hurt him. Naruto had hurt me. The only thing to do was to hurt him back. Put him in his place.

The ache told me something else. That Naruto was giving me what I deserved for what I had been doing to him. Don't hurt him. Just offer him an open hand.

The fire made me happier, but the ache was warmer. I felt torn between them, but the ache just plain _felt_ better. Like I could live with myself if I went with what the ache said.

So I reached my hand to him and rubbed his cheek. "I'm sorry," I said again.

Naruto just gave me a _look_. It was hurt, it was confused, it was from a boy unused to any act of kindness that anything remotely friendly was to be treated with suspicion and anger.

"I'm not gonna hurt you anymore," I said.

Naruto rolled his eyes at me, and I forced the fire down when it tried to rise out of me.

"I'm not gonna hurt you anymore," I reiterated.

"Yeah. Sure," Naruto said.

I hugged him. "I promise," I said.

Naruto just started crying. He didn't understand what was going on, he didn't know why I was treating him differently. All he could do was cry. That was the only way he could respond to this. I held him for a while. I promised myself that things would be different.

For the first time in my life, I felt _guilty_.

I also think that was when I finally started becoming human.

* * *

Guilt was what motivated me to do better. I listened to the ache over the fire. I tried to give Naruto more attention, I tried lecturing him instead of screaming at him, I started picking him up from school, or even hanging around the school to catch Naruto when he attempted to cut class. I would catch him, lecture him, and then put him right back inside the building, so.

I made Naruto a bed. It wasn't a good bed. It was sloppy and had rough edges. I bought him a blanket and a mattress and a cover sheet. Yeah, all Naruto had was a crappy sleeping bag before. I felt guilty over that. Naruto deserved better.

He still pissed me off a lot. I just clamped it down. Naruto had just gotten _worse_ when I hit him. I tried being nicer. It just brought me suspicious glances from Naruto, but he seemed to be less nasty to people, and the complaints started getting milder and fewer, so I felt there was something to this approach.

I couldn't cook worth a crap. I kept trying. Eventually I could make katsudon. It was cheap and it was difficult to mess up. I was finally paying attention to Naruto's diet in general. I started listening to what he had to say even though it didn't interest me one bit. It just all felt like the right things to do.

"What's happening to me?" I asked myself. The fire said I was growing weak and I was gonna pay for it later. The ache said I was getting stronger and so was Naruto.

I was very confused.

Naruto didn't like me touching him, and he would refuse every time I offered to hold his hand. I kept asking anyway. I felt he would say yes at some point.

There was just an edge underneath Naruto that made so many moments awkward, and I just felt even more guilty, because, as the ache told me, it was my fault. I could've won Naruto over a year ago if I had wanted. And now because I had treated Naruto like total _shit_, he didn't trust me. He was thinking I was gonna hurt him again.

He cried a lot. I tried to talk to him. He would scream at me and lock the bedroom door.

I moved my bed into his room as a solution so I could try to talk to him, because he wouldn't lock me out of my own bed, right?

It didn't work. He still cried a lot. He would scream at me and lock the door and then I had no bed. I purchased a cheap used couch so I could sleep on that instead of the floor whenever that happened. That cost me a week's worth of breakfasts, and I wound up going hungry in the morning instead of Naruto because it just felt like the right thing to do. Putting him ahead of me.

I learned that his lunches at school were always burned or were stale or whatnot. I talked to the cooks, and they basically wouldn't give me the time of day. I got angry. I tried making him bento. I screwed it up a lot, but at least my attempts were edible. Naruto would eat it. Well, _reluctantly_ eat it, you know?

Two months went by since that B-ranked mission. I did five more C-ranks in that timespan, coming home to realize Naruto was in trouble every single time. I would get lectures from the adults, but I got two compliments because they noticed Naruto wasn't as bad as he had been a couple of months before. I couldn't tell the difference.

Naruto hated me. I didn't know what to feel. I wanted to cry and I wanted to scream and I wanted to hug Naruto and I wanted to hit him. I think I was losing my mind.

Finally, he sent me over the edge.

I tried making him bento again for school. When I handed it to him, Naruto punched it out of my hands and sent what I had made all over my body.

"What are ya doing?" Naruto screamed at me. "Your food sucks and I know you don't really care! You're just feelin' sorry for yourself! You ain't sorry about me at all! It's all about you and it's always been that way and I wish you'd just leave me alone!"

He walked right out the door, slamming it shut, and I trembled.

The fire had come back in a furious blaze. That was it. I was trying my best, damn it. He wasn't happy with what I was doing? Fine! I'll hit him again! I'll cut him open again!

I was gonna do it right then and there, chase him down, drag his sorry ass back inside, and give him hell. This is what I get for trying to be kind? Let's see how he likes it when I get nasty!

I wasn't going to use a knife this time either. I grabbed a kunai. It was gonna _really_ hurt this time.

But as I grabbed it, the ache came back. _Don't do it_, the message was.

_No, grab him and make him pay!_

_Stop! You promised you wouldn't hurt him!_

_He hurt you, hurt him back!_

_He's already hurt because of you! How will hurting him again make anything better?_

_You're letting yourself get weak! You're letting the little brat bully you!_

I just lost it. I screamed and slashed myself instead, slicing my left arm open.

It hurt. It hurt a lot.

I stared at it for a while, staring at the blood, mesmerized by the pain I was feeling.

_This is what Naruto felt when I cut him_, I thought.

Now I knew why Naruto hated me. Why he didn't trust me.

This is what he felt every time I hurt him.

I started crying.

_It's a good thing_, I told myself. _This is a good thing. You know how he feels. This pain is what he feels. That this sadness is what he feels. You get it now. You finally get it._

_Why care for him if he doesn't care about you? _the fire asked.

_He'll care for you someday if you care for him_, the ache replied.

I spent a while in that kitchen, bleeding and crying. I was afraid to stop the bleeding. I wanted what I had done to Naruto, through the pain I was feeling, burned into my memory, so I could never forget it. So I would never harm him again.

At some point, I cleaned everything up. I cleaned my self-inflicted wound. I stopped crying somewhere in there.

I still walked to the academy and Naruto was stunned to see me there when class was over. He just gingerly, hesitantly, walked on over to me. "No . . . no way."

"I told you, I'm not gonna hurt you anymore," I said.

He didn't scream at me for the rest of the week.

* * *

He cried a lot still, those next couple of months. But occasionally that door would be left open and I would walk inside and he wouldn't scream at me. One night, he let me lay in his bed and hug him until he fell asleep. A couple of nights later, he let me do it again.

One night, I told him "It's okay. It's okay. I'm here. Tell me everything."

He told me about bullies always picking on him. He told me how he had no one to play with. He told me that many of the villagers were always messing with him. I told him I would start playing with him. I told him I would protect him from the villagers. It took a couple of weeks but I started to actually have fun playing with him, just kicking a ball around the village with him, making up our own games and rules. After a while, Naruto started smiling and laughing.

When Naruto smiled, when he laughed, when he told jokes to me, that ache inside me grew more and more, and the fire got smaller and smaller. The ache seemed to cover more than my heart at that point. It seemed to be throughout my entire chest and my stomach. And every day, it spread more and more.

It started taking less effort to keep the fire suppressed. I wouldn't listen to it anymore unless I was in a battle on a C-rank. Listening to the ache was making everything better. Why would I listen to the fire? All it did was make things worse. The fire was just hatred, I realized. Hatred that wasn't gonna get me anywhere. Or Naruto.

He let me hold his hand when we went grocery shopping once. It wasn't for very long, just for a couple of minutes. It brought tears to my eyes and I didn't know why.

Iruka talked to me once. He told me Naruto, while he was still being a total clown, seemed much happier and kinder to everyone. Hearing that make the ache grow stronger still.

I took him to Ichiraku Ramen once to reward him for passing his classes. He loved the place. I started bringing him back. I hated ramen but I gradually developed an acquired taste for it, particularly the miso kind. Too bad I kept screwing up the recipe when I tried to make it myself. One particular attempt literally exploded in my face, and I couldn't figure out why it would do that, and Naruto just laughed, and . . . I just couldn't help but laugh too.

When I came back from C-ranks, I would bring him something from the villages or towns or foreign lands I visited.

The apartment actually started feeling like home.

I started ignoring the fire in all circumstances, including on missions. People told me I had changed. That I seemed to care about people more. I started getting more missions gradually so, well, I made more money. I got Naruto nicer clothes and food. I gave him an allowance too. He blew it all on ramen right away. Big surprise, right?

I mastered katsudon and whenever Naruto or I needed something fast and didn't want to eat out at least I could make that. It was the one dish I could not screw up, you know?

Then I came home from a C-rank one night to find the door wide open.

My heart skipped a beat.

The ache nearly engulfed my whole body.

I ran.

I saw a man with a kunai knife at Naruto's throat. Naruto was staring into space, like he was traumatized, tears spilling from his eyes.

The man spun around.

My heart skipped another beat.

I felt something warm and moist enter my eyes.

My hands clenched into fists.

"_Get away from him_!" I screamed.

I rushed him, disarmed him, and beat him senseless. After I tied him up, I ran around in a panic, carrying a non-responsive Naruto until I finally found a village guard willing to help me.

Turned out the burglar had picked the wrong apartment and panicked when he saw Naruto and decided to kill him before the alarm could be sounded. And no one would miss Naruto anyway, so in a way he was gonna do the village a favor. He didn't count on me coming home right when he was going to do that.

I held Naruto in my arms that night. He was off in his own world. He wouldn't respond to me. I starting crying into his spiky hair, wondering if I had lost him for good.

"Naruto," I said. "You're not alone anymore, you hear me? I'm here for you. You know that right?"

He didn't respond.

"Naruto, I'm with you. I'll always be with you. Just like right now. The whole world can try to fight you but I'll still be right here with you. You're like a brother to me, Naruto. My little brother."

Naruto started crying in my arms, and I let him wipe his eyes on my beige coat's sleeve. I felt warm. So incredibly warm.

"I know there's no blood thing going on," I said. "I don't care about that. We can be brother and sister in spirit. That's what matters. I'm your sister, Naruto. Your soul sister. And I'll be with you, united against this world. Together forever, Naruto."

He finally looked up at me, crying but with a desperate, small smile on his face. "You really mean it."

Hearing him finally talk to me, hearing such hope in his voice, hearing him finally, completely opening up to me, made the ache completely take me over.

"Yeah," I said. "Believe it."

I kissed him on the top of his head. I coughed when one of his hairs went down my throat. Naruto laughed. I laughed too. Laughed and cried.

It wasn't until later that I realized what the ache was, the ache that had become my being, replacing the fire and driving that fire deeper and deeper inside.

It was love.

* * *

I know that it's all over, Kushina. I knew it would end eventually the moment you came to my apartment at three in the morning four years ago. I don't blame you for it. I'm the one who screwed up. I'm the one who hurt Naruto, so.

But I love him. I love your son, Kushina. He's my little brother.

I realized some time after that night, a while before you showed up at the apartment, that Naruto couldn't handle killing intent being directed his way. That he just freezes up and goes into his own little world. I knew immediately that the only chance he had of achieving his dreams of becoming Hokage was if I was his sensei. That's why I tried so hard to become a jonin. If Naruto wound up with anyone else they'd drop him from the program for good the moment they'd find out. But I know of Naruto's weakness. I know I can help him move past it, because I'm the one who did it to him in the first place, you know?

I've made progress with him. He at least can talk and cry now when he's hit with it. He doesn't shut completely down, he doesn't go off into his own little world.

Please, Kushina. Let me make it right. If you don't want me to be around Naruto ever again, that's your decision. You're Naruto's mother. You have that right.

I am just asking, grant me enough time to make it right before you do that. Let me help Naruto move past it all so he can set his sights on becoming Hokage.

That's all I ask, because Naruto is my soul brother and I love him and I want him to achieve that dream of his.

Is that too much to ask, Kushina?

Is it?

* * *

A/N: Just so you know, Anko told the truth and nothing but the truth here.

Anko's POV was fun to write, she has this really informal, casual voice that neither Kushina or Sasuke have. It's a special occasion, though, don't expect this to happen again for a long time, if at all.

Chapter 33 clears up a few loose ends from Anko's story. It will be posted next week.


	33. Reply

Once again, not enough time to respond to everybody. But I'm glad I'm not being lynched for chapters 31 and 32. It was a very difficult sequence to write and involved revelations I did not expect to get into during this arc (Anko's story was originally supposed to show up much later). Shows how much I wind up following my outlines, doesn't it?

But thank you very much for your responses. They truly do help tell me what I'm doing right and wrong here.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Three: Reply**

_Kushina Uzumaki_

"Is that too much to ask, Kushina?" Anko begs me, tears reappearing in her eyes. She sniffs softly. "Is it?"

Anko had done a decent job holding her emotions together telling her story. And she had not lied to me. Not once. Anko is a good liar, she had mislead me four years ago when she explained this story to me the first time. But I had not been around people for eight years, and I had just come back from a vicious battle. My paranoia and my people skills weren't at the level they are now. I would know if Anko was lying now.

But now, at the very end, Anko is starting to come apart. She truly does not expect any mercy from me.

I look into those brown eyes of her, seeing tears start to pour from them down her cheeks. I don't see the monster that abused my son. Even now, after all of the distress I've given her, this is still the Anko I know. Her self-control is truly on another level.

My answer becomes clear to me. Regardless of how I feel about it, it's the only answer I can give, for both my son and this young woman.

But I'm not ready to give that answer yet. "Anko, I understand why you kept this from me now. You don't wish to be separated from my son. You knew that four years ago, if you had told me about it then, I'd have immediately separated Naruto from you."

Anko sniffs. "It . . . it wasn't just _that_. I knew that if you did there was no way . . . no way Naruto would trust you either."

Oh really now? "Explain."

"Well . . . I . . . if I was taken away, I knew Naruto would not trust you because he loved me so much. You'd just be a woman taking me away. It was to make sure that you and Naruto wouldn't have your relationship destroyed too. Not just to make sure I and Naruto would stay together."

As much as I hate to admit it, he's actually right. It would have gotten me off the wrong foot with my son if I removed the only figure who loved him from his life.

"I see," I reply.

"P-Please, Kushina. Let me make it right," Anko begs.

I sigh. I don't think I can delay this answer any longer, an answer I don't want to give.

"Anko, I'll permit you to stay as Naruto's sensei and as his 'soul sister'. I'm not going to take that away from you," I finally say.

Anko's eyes widen. "I . . . really?" she asks softly.

"Anko, I don't have that right, to take this away. I have seen, for the last four years, how close you and Naruto have become. To separate the two of you would devastate you both. I'm not going to cause so much pain over this."

I'm not going to let Anko relax though. Not yet. "But if you revert back to your old self, or use that cursed seal on your neck, for _any_ reason, I _will_ do it, Anko."

Anko nods solemnly. "I get it. I already promised my team when they asked about my cursed seal that I would never unleash it. That's why I went to Kakashi. That's why I had him teach me the Chidori."

I had seen that in the battle against the ninja from Oto. I had been shocked to see it too. I knew Anko had been going to Kakashi to advice, but I didn't know Kakashi had actually taught Anko a powerful technique like that. And Anko had used it well, generating the speed and ferocity necessary to shatter that woman's crystal armor when even Anko's summoned snake couldn't do it. It must have taken quite a bit of instruction in order for Anko to get it down so well.

Anko holds up her left hand, the back of it facing me. "Kakashi told me to use the Chidori like a sword to protect my students. A weapon of last resort that would keep me from having to use my cursed seal and risk unleashing the darker side of myself."

"I assume Kakashi warned you of the Chidori's drawback," I say. It reminds me of Minato warning Kakashi about the Chidori, back when Kakashi had been Minato's student.

"The tunnel vision and the inability to dodge a counterattack? Yeah, I'm aware of it. I _experienced_ it yesterday morning. That's why it's a last resort technique," Anko replies.

Anko sighs. "But it worked out. Naruto's chains kept the woman off balance enough that she had no chance to dodge me when I came at her. Her only hope was to weather the Chidori, but, as you saw, the crystal armor couldn't hold up. That's how powerful the Chidori is, so."

"I'm just making sure you're aware of the risks of using the Chidori," I reply. "Minato made sure Kakashi was well aware of it."

Anko smiles. "Glad to see you still care. I wasn't sure if you did for a second there. That was some of the most ferocious killing intent I've ever felt."

"I'm sorry," I say. "I was . . . I was really angry."

I look into those brown eyes, and she still looks normal. She never resorted to that darker side of herself, even when feeling the worst of my killing intent. Her self-control has gotten so strong that she was able to keep her bloodthirst down. I never sensed even a hint of it, even when she was screaming in mental agony.

I wanted justification for my anger over what I had learned. I _wanted_ to see that crazy bloodthirsty psychopath come tearing out of her. I wanted to see this Anko just being a mask for the _real_ Anko underneath.

And none of that happened.

"How do you . . . how do you keep it down? Even when I was hitting you full force with killing intent like that?"

"Love," Anko replies. "I know I'll never see my students or Naruto or anyone else I care about ever again if I let it out, so."

She takes a few deep breathes, clearly trying to calm down. "I won't do it, Kushina. Even if I saw Orochimaru, that _monster_, again I won't do it. I know some of this bloodthirstiness inside me is because of _him_. His chakra was, _is_, trying to make me into something he needs or wants."

Her right hand reaches up and she touches the seal. "I like the way I am now. I'm not giving this life up for _anything_. The stupid hatred I feel isn't going to be anywhere near enough to make me go back, you know?"

"What kind of hatred do you feel?" I ask.

Anko's eyes grow distant. "Hatred for everyone and everything."

Her voice tremors as she continues, building in power and intensity. "If I were to listen to this hatred, I would be searching for every possible excuse to shed blood. To _taste_ blood. Everyone could and would be a potential target, especially if they pissed me off. And I would _like_ it. It would be my entertainment, my entire life, my reason for just plain _existing_!"

Anko by this point is clutching her head, either in despair or from a ferocious headache or some combination of both. She takes deep breaths, trying to settle down. I reach around her and hug her, and rub her back. She's strong, I can feel it. She's made herself so much stronger over the years.

"I won't do it," Anko manages through her trembling, emotional tone. "I won't. I _can't_."

"It tries to come out a lot, doesn't it?" I ask.

"It's been coming back with a vengeance since the killing intent wave hit me," Anko replies, her voice soft, grave. "And now that I'm _thinking_ about it, it makes it _stronger_, you know?"

"I understand," I say. I disengage the Chakra Chains Barrier so Anko can finally lean against the wooden wall behind her. It's a sign of trust, that I trust Anko won't harm me, and I have no intentions of harming her either.

I feel Anko's arms wrap around me as well, and I feel Anko burying her head into my left shoulder. She's still trying to calm down.

"It's okay. It's okay," I whisper to her. It's like comforting a child right now. Anko's a grown woman, but she reminds me of Naruto, trying to cope with a trauma she can't escape from.

"I won't do it," Anko chokes out. "I won't do it."

I don't know if she's saying it to _me_ or to _herself_. There's no way to tell.

This is my fault. I assaulted Anko in this way, and now she's going to need time to recover from this. To make herself strong again, like she was against Guren, when she showed no sign of letting that dark side of herself out.

"It's all right. It's all right. I'm sorry, Anko. I won't do this to you again."

Finally, after what feels like a small eternity, Anko finally settles down and relaxes. "Kushina, I'm okay. You can let me go."

"I am." I look into her eyes, and they remain unchanged. This is still the Anko I know.

It's clear she will _always_ be the Anko I know, as long as I don't torture her like that again. That's basically what I had done to Anko in my anger. _Tortured_ her mentally and made it much more tempting to let that dark side _out_. Knowing this just makes me more impressed with her self-control.

And I know what to say to reinforce that self-control. But it's also how I really feel, after hearing Anko's story, after seeing her in front of me.

She is a person who really did change, but the transformation isn't permanent. Not yet. Possibly never as long as Orochimaru's chakra continues to exist inside her.

I won't let her fall. Especially because of me.

"Anko," I say. "I still consider you my friend. And I'm not taking anything away from you. Just relax. Relax and let's just both go to sleep. It's been a long day, and it's almost five in the morning. I'm probably gonna sleep until noon now because of all this."

"Yeah, good idea," Anko says. "I wonder if anyone else felt that. I've been waiting for someone to bust in here any second now, but they haven't."

I look back towards the closed door. It's a possibility someone else sensed that, but I don't hear or sense any signs of it.

I have a feeling that perverted sage, Jiraiya, probably sensed it. He's a Sannin. He senses _everything_. I know Jiraiya well enough to know _that_.

"Let's not worry about that right now," I say. "If somebody sensed or overheard this, they don't think it's important enough to bother either of us right now. Let's just go to sleep. We'll worry about it when we wake up tomorrow."

"That makes things simple," Anko says, and finally, that familiar smile of hers crosses her face.

"Right," I say. As long as Anko's dark side stays suppressed, that is.

I just need to trust her.

Problem is, I'm finding trust to be more difficult to find these days.

* * *

When I woke up, I found Anko had already woken up and was gone. After bathing and getting dressed, I walked downstairs to find Koyuki pouring over maps in the dining area, the scent of katsudon strong.

It looks like Koyuki's devoured three or four bowls of katsudon, and she doesn't look like she's gotten any rest at all.

"You know, too much katsudon isn't good for you," I say. "At least have some fruit or vegetables to go with that. At the very least I could whip up some miso soup or zaru soba."

"I'm fine," Koyuki grumbles.

I walk on over. It looks like Koyuki has drawn and re-drawn battle plans many times over. But she lacks organization. She keeps missing something or has something out of place and then she realizes her mistake and has to tear everything down and start over. I can see that as she continues to mark off locations, until she finally grumbles and throws a map away and pulls out a new one.

Koyuki is a disorganized perfectionist. A terrible, oxymoronic combination.

"You don't look like you've gotten a hint of sleep," I say.

"I _can't_ sleep," Koyuki says.

I hear a loud horn in the distance, followed by an unnatural chugging sound with an undercurrent of hissing and grinding of metal.

"That be your reason why?" I ask. "It's the sound of those locomotives, aren't they?"

"No, but they're not helping," Koyuki sighs. "We are not far from the tracks."

She looks at me. "I'm trying to come up with a strategy if my uncle has more forces inside his fortress than I expect. If he grossly outnumbers my force he _will_ push my forces out because of the sheer numerical advantage. I'm trying to come up with a way for my elite samurai to be able to splinter off in this scenario and help you ninja end my uncle."

I look down at the new map. "You are aware that battle is complete, total chaos, right? No one's going to keep these contingencies in their head in the heat of battle."

"Well, _I_ have to. I'm going to be directing everyone. I am the leader of this operation," Koyuki snaps.

I did not come down here to be yelled at. "Koyuki, I _strongly_ suggest you should get some rest. Take four or five hours and _sleep_. We're not attacking until the day after tomorrow, correct?"

"True, but I told you, I can't sleep. I'm too stressed," Koyuki says. "It's not helping that Jiraiya says he's leaving to do some recon. I need him for my plan, I don't need him galavanting about."

"He is?" I ask.

Koyuki nods as she moves her half-eaten katsudon bowl in front of her. "Right now I don't need any more stupid recon, but Jiraiya says he wants to check out these trains and their lines. I couldn't get him to back down on that, he's adamant about it. He's going to be leaving in a few minutes."

Considering the bags under her widened eyes, I think that one more thing jeopardizing her plan is going to send Koyuki over the edge.

"I'll go talk to him, Koyuki. Hang on for a minute," I say.

"Track the bastard down as soon as possible," Koyuki growls as she grabs a cup of tea that looks rather cold. "I'm not in the mood for this. Not at all."

She drinks the tea, and then stares at it. "Wait, this doesn't taste right . . ."

Suddenly, she collapses, her face falling directly into her bowl of katsudon. My heart skips a beat and I reach for my kunai. Was she poisoned? Drugged? Something else? Is there an enemy nearby? What just happened here?

Then I hear it. Snoring.

Wait, she's snoring? _Really_?

She was simply drugged into _sleep_? Who would do that?

Wait. I hear it, just under the snoring. Soft giggling.

It's not Jiraiya's giggling. It's someone else's. It's a girlish chuckle that I've been getting used to.

Fuu. I should've known.

I walk out of the room and around the corner, and I see Fuu and the two young Kusa genin, Sango and Tadashi, giggling with each other.

"What did you three do?" I ask.

Sango, Tadashi, and Fuu all leap into the air in unison, completely taken off guard. They all stare at me, nervous and sheepish.

"It was all Fuu's idea!" Tadashi says.

"Yeah! She drugged the cup, too!" Sango shouts.

"Hey! What'cha guys doing? I thought we were in this together!" Fuu yells.

"We're outta here!" Tadashi yells and he and Sango charge off as fast as Anko did when she had the Chidori. Well . . . at least it appears that way.

"Traitors!" Fuu yells, shaking her fist at their vanishing forms.

"Fuu," I say, putting my hand on her shoulder so she re-focuses, "What did you do to Koyuki?"

Fuu turns to me, her smile sheepish. "Um . . . I put sleeping powder into Koyuki's tea. That's all."

"_Why_ did you decide that was a good idea?" I ask.

"Um, ya know . . ." Fuu's fidgets with her hands as she tries to formulate the best way to respond. "She thinks I suck and everything so I decided I would show her how good I am at being a ninja and stuff! She fell for it so _easily_! Besides, she needs the sleep anyway!"

"Koyuki slighting you is not an excuse to play a prank on Koyuki. She will _not_ be happy when she wakes up."

"Eh, she ain't happy with me anyway. At least now she'll recognize my talent. I snuck up on her and drugged her tea while Tadashi and Sango annoyed her. She had no clue what was coming!"

A loud snore from the other room.

Fuu's sheepish smile grows wider. "See?"

I am going to have to lecture this girl. _Again_. This kind of behavior was not justified at all. There's other ways to demonstrate ability besides pulling childish pranks like this.

"Fuu, you need to understand that just because Koyuki doesn't like you or finds you annoying doesn't mean you just get to prank her for whatever reason. Doesn't matter if it's for fun, or for revenge, or something else. What you just did is wrong, and I thought Koyuki had just died for a second after I had seen what had happened," I say.

Fuu's smile fades. "Oh. I never thought of that _that_ way."

"You see? It's not just the person you pull the prank on. It's the entire context of the situation and the people who happen to be nearby, Fuu."

"Spoken like a mom," I hear Jiraiya say in front of me.

I look up from Fuu to Jiraiya, and I see Jiraiya rounding the corner, looking at me. "I have experience at this. Naruto did a lot of pranks and practical jokes himself," I reply.

Jiraiya walks past the both of us, and looks at Koyuki's motionless, snoring body. "Well, I can't help but say that she needed the sleep. The woman was killing herself there. Though I'd have preferred a more _tactful_ way of encouraging her to go get some sleep."

"You've got a lot of nerve talking about _tact_ considering yesterday evening," I say.

Jiraiya grins nervously. "Come on, Kushina. Not in front of the girl."

As much as I hate to admit it, he's right. "Fuu, you're excused. But you're getting a lecture over what you did to Koyuki later."

"Uh . . . all right." I turn to see Fuu walking away.

"And no eavesdropping. I'll know if you are," I add.

Fuu just chuckles nervously, and then vanishes as she takes off at a run.

"She's an energetic girl. She reminds me a lot of Naruto in that way," I say, turning to Jiraiya, only to find him looking at me with a serious gaze.

He means business now. No more casual conversation.

"So, what is it you want to talk to me about?" I ask.

"I'm going to be gone until the day of the battle. I need you to keep the other ninja in-line and keep Koyuki from alienating everyone while I am not here."

"Where are you going?" I ask.

Jiraiya keeps me a knowing, confident smile. "I'm going to see how these trains work. If anyone asks, I'll just tell them I intend to feature them in a novel. I _am_ a writer, Kushina. That pastime of mine does come in handy."

"If your pastime is writing garbage, then sure," I reply.

Jiraiya groans.

"I know you've been avoiding me for the last four years," I say. "You've visited Konoha many times but I don't get an inkling that you're there until you've already left. You haven't even visited your godchild _once_, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya raises an eyebrow. "Do I need to tell you why, Kushina?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, you do," I say.

"Point number one, you sending me crashing down the _mountain_ shows that our first meeting would end in violence, violence that is exceptionally _painful_ for yours truly."

"I see you're walking, you weren't hurt that bad," I say.

Jiraiya scoffs. "Let's see you get thrown down a mountain sometime and tell me how you feel."

"I'd rather not find out," I reply, conceding the point.

"Number two," Jiraiya says, refocusing the conversation, "I have an intricate spy network that needs to be consistently maintained and supervised. It would be safer for both Naruto and I if he were not dragged into that world. It's just too dangerous, Kushina, and I could not abandon this network to raise him either. Too much was at stake then, and the same goes for now."

Finally, _finally_, he brings up a good point. "Then why didn't you just tell me that?"

"You wouldn't let me have a chance. See you _throwing me off the mountain_ yesterday again," Jiraiya replies.

"Maybe it wouldn't have happened if you hadn't peeped on me either," I reply.

Jiraiya bites his lip. "True. Though, again, I did not know that was you."

I'm not interesting in him rehashing his excuses. I've heard them once, I don't need to hear them again. "Please continue. I have a feeling you're not done yet."

"Right. Number three, I felt that Naruto would inevitably be taken in by a family. I admit to being wrong about that. I was not happy when I saw who his caretaker wound up being and what she was doing to Naruto. I spoke to Hiruzen about it and we felt we had to stage an intervention."

"Stage an intervention?" I ask. Suddenly, it hits me.

I can't believe it. But . . .

"The serial killer . . . was . . ."

Jiraiya nods. "I made him up with Hiruzen and Hiruzen made sure Konoha sent Anko Mitarashi on that mission, and I took on the appearance of the killer. When she was swamped with the Giant Vortex Technique I placed her in a genjutsu and planted the suggestion that maybe she should be _nicer_ to Naruto, because she's all he has. Everything about that mission from that point forward, including the demise of the serial killer, was part of a genjutsu. The body they brought back to Konoha was a log. After the mission was over, I snapped the two chuunin who thought they had brain damage out of their doldrums as well."

While that was a fairly intricate plan, with an admirable intent, I have many problems with what Jiraiya did. I just say the first one that sticks in my mind. "Couldn't there have been another way to send the message to Anko?"

Jiraiya shrugs. "To be honest, Kushina, she was on the borderline of madness. Orochimaru had done a number to her. I needed to do something dramatic to offset what Orochimaru had done to her mentally."

He sighs. "It warmed my heart to see them a year later, just kicking a ball through the streets, both of them just having fun. And then I saw the two of them holding hands, smiling and joking together, Anko leading Naruto along like an older sister, as they entered a ramen shop when I was leaving town that night. I felt I had something good for once."

His eyes turn serious then. "And no, before you ask, Anko Mitarashi is _not_ under a genjutsu still. She changed because she _wanted_ to. I planted the suggestion. Everything else was her. She didn't have to follow it if she didn't want to, though if she didn't I was going to have to find someone else to take her place. I _did_ intend to make sure Naruto was cared for until you finally stopped hating yourself in that cabin and returned home."

I had actually been about to ask that question. Jiraiya knows me really well, even after twelve years of not encountering each other even once. But then, Jiraiya knows I was in a cabin for many years. I'm sure Hiruzen told him so, but there's just something about the way he said that . . .

"You were Tomoe, the merchant, weren't you?" I ask.

Jiraiya smiles. "Guilty as charged, Kushina. Just me under a transformation technique. Consider it my way of checking up on you."

I just feel a weight fill my lungs, crush my heart, it makes me want to fall to my knees. My old friend had been visiting me the whole time and I hadn't known it. Why didn't that ever occur to me before? Why hadn't I figured it out? Jiraiya is possibly the only person from Konoha who could find me single-handedly.

And Tomoe's wares being marketed. It was all I wanted, or needed, seeming to match my desires perfectly. I should've seen through it. It was as if Tomoe had known me somehow.

I feel tears enter my eyes as I realize that Jiraiya, under his 'Tomoe' guise, had told me very little about what happened in Konoha. "Why? Why didn't you tell me what was going on in Konoha, Jiraiya? Why didn't you tell me about my son?"

"I wanted you to go back to Konoha when you were ready for it," Jiraiya says. "I didn't want to force you. Forcing you to return before you were ready would be exceptionally painful for you, I could tell. I can see that I'm right just by looking at you, I know you were forced to return."

"Mikoto and Tsume told me about my son," I reply. "I felt that I was needed back in Konoha. All that this has taught me is that abandoning my son was a mistake, a mistake I can't undo, and all I can do is make sure I am there for my son when he needs me from now on."

"I can tell it's taking a toll on you, Kushina," Jiraiya says. "You weren't ready to return. You're not healing from what you did in the past. All Konoha is doing is subbing salt in your wounds."

"I don't care about that," I reply. "Naruto comes before me. That's how it's gonna work, Jiraiya. He's been so _happy_ since I came back. It's made everything else worth it."

Jiraiya sighs. "I suppose I have to respect that. I wish I had your kind of altruism."

He turns to walk away, but stops. "Kushina, I do _not_ want that kind of killing intent thrown around again. That's what makes me concerned about you. That your love for Naruto may not heal you at all, but just make you _worse_."

Now what's he going on about? Other than, as I had expected, he had sensed me hitting Anko with that wave of killing intent yesterday night? "What are you saying?"

Jiraiya's hands clench into fists, and he looks away from me. "Kushina, do not let your love lead you into a dark place. That is my worst fear for you. That is why I told you nothing about Konoha or Naruto for all of those years."

Why . . . why is he telling me this? Why? It's just driving me crazy, that's what it's doing! "Jiraiya don't just-"

"I need to go, Kushina. I have just enough time to catch the train." Jiraiya turns and smiles at me all of a sudden, which makes my emotion feel foolish for some reason. "I have a feeling that will be a common saying someday."

He walks away, leaving me in the room with Koyuki still blissfully snoring in her katsudon bowl.

In this moment, I actually envy Koyuki. She's getting a break from it all.

I just feel like I don't take any breaks. Or even receive them. That just seems to be how my life works . . .

* * *

Naruto pants in exhaustion as he materializes the Chakra Chain again. He's making a marked improvement over yesterday. It's taken him much less time to materialize a chain without wasting gratuitous amounts of chakra. In the long run, this will make Naruto far more powerful with the technique.

"There we go. Took you about an hour this time, but you did it," I say, and I can't help but clap my hands. I can't help but feel proud of him. He's truly going to master this technique one day. "Great job, Naruto."

He turns and smiles at me. "Thanks, Mom."

The chain disengages, and I hand him a bottle of water. "We're going to take ten minutes here to relax. You've earned it, Naruto."

Naruto greedily sucks down the water. "I never knew this would be so hard."

"It _is_ hard," I say. "I'm teaching you a technique I didn't have perfected until I became a jonin before you were born, Naruto. It's intricate, detailed, and advanced. I'm glad to see you've been making so much progress."

Fuu, who's been watching this session, sighs. "I thought it was more impressive that he could make _two_ of the chains."

I feel my emotions flare up at that. I don't need to be undermined right now. But I force them down. It's an innocent question, not intended to drive Naruto into disobeying my instructions. Fuu's not that kind of girl. She is much more innocent than she cares to admit.

"What Naruto did was skip an essential step, Fuu," I say. "And that step was to make sure that only the amount of chakra necessary to use the technique was utilized. Naruto was exhausting himself rapidly in that battle, and I know you saw that. He needs to learn how to do this _efficiently_ so he doesn't tire when he has the chains out for a long time."

"Huh. Guess that makes sense," Fuu says.

"It does make sense. If there's any techniques you want to learn more efficency in, let me know. I can show you better chakra control," I say.

As I say that, the door opens behind me. I turn and see Anko Mitarashi standing there.

"Huh," she says. "I had heard you had taken Naruto for a private training session."

"Who told you that?" I ask.

"Sasuke," Anko replies. "I was drilling him and Hinata until just a few minutes ago, he told me you pulled him away."

"It was for a good reason," I say. "I was helping Naruto with his Chakra Chains technique."

"I think I got better with it, Anko," Naruto says confidently. "Watch!"

He makes the hand signs, and I see a single chain emanate into existence, with a minimum of wasted chakra. In fact, so little chakra is being wasted that I can barely detect it.

The time's coming when I should teach Naruto how to use two chains at once. Problem is, I don't think I'm going to be able to get him to that step before we're fighting Koyuki's war.

Anko's eyes widen. "Wow. Good job!"

Naruto chuckles. "Thanks!"

Anko smiles at me. "You're doing a good job of teaching him that technique. I'd have done a better job but I have no clue on how your Chakra Chains work, so. I don't even think Kakashi does."

"I'm trying my best," I say. It's also helping me keep my mind off of Jiraiya's conversation with me, though seeing Anko standing before me just drags me back into it. She has no idea of what Jiraiya did. I know Jiraiya says that Anko changed of her own free will, that all that he did was plant a suggestion . . . but Anko said that word "ache" like it was something _more_ than a suggestion.

Unless what that suggestion had done was make something bloom inside Anko that had always been there but had been suppressed the whole time. That would make sense. That may be why Anko's adjusted the way she has.

Anko sighs. "Anyway, can I take Naruto back? He needs to participate in the drills too. I don't want Sasuke and Hinata to think Naruto's getting preferred treatment."

"I understand. Trust me," I say. I was kind of hoping I'd have Naruto a little longer to be honest. It's nice to just teach him, be a mother, and leave all the other worries behind. Though I was hoping I would have an opening to tell Naruto about his father, too. He flat-out told Anko he knows who his father is, and I think it's time he learned who _Minato Namikaze_ was in every sense of a term. He was more than just the 4th Hokage, after all. He was . . . he was . . .

He was the man I loved, and still love.

I guess . . . I guess it'll have to wait for another day.

Naruto groans. "Come on! It's not like Mom's goin' easy on me here!"

"That's not the kind of 'preferred treatment' I'm talking about," Anko says.

Now I get Anko's implication. I'm making it look like Naruto's more important than the rest of the squad. Not the message I want to send, but it's understandable.

"I'll teach Naruto Chakra Chains after you're finished with your own training for the day. I promise," I say. "I won't interrupt your sessions again."

"All right, that works," Anko says, smiling. "C'mon, Naruto. Get that water down. We gotta get to work here. Speaking of chakra control . . ."

"All right, all right, gimme a sec," Naruto says, before drinking the rest of his water.

"You'll get it," I promise Naruto. "You're doing well. Just keep practicing, not just with me, but by yourself as well. It took years for me to master that technique."

"I will," Naruto says, nodding.

As he follows Anko outside to the hallway, though, something occurs to me. Instead of _waiting_ for the perfect timing, how about I make it myself?

"Naruto, I have something important I have to tell you before we fight for Koyuki," I say. "It's about your father."

Naruto pauses in the doorway. Then, without looking at me, he nods his head. "Okay! Thanks for telling me!"

He leaves, and the door slides shut.

"She's jealous of ya," Fuu says casually.

"Who? Anko?" I ask.

"She's jealous," Fuu repeats. "You've been able to make Naruto do something in a couple of days that she hasn't been able to do in months or whatever."

As tempting as it is to buy into Fuu's pessimistic viewpoint, I don't want to. There's a logical explanation other than something so cynical. "Anko admitted herself she has no idea how to teach Naruto the Chakra Chains, Fuu. I don't think she'll mind if I instruct Naruto in that technique and that technique only. I'm not going to usurp her authority."

"If ya say so," Fuu says. "I dunno. Maybe it's just me."

I hear stomping footsteps outside. Somebody's mad out there. Just hope it's not at me.

Suddenly, the door slides open, and I see Koyuki, fire in her eyes, with sauce all over her face. "I demand to speak to Fuu. Now."

Fuu stares at Koyuki, then looks at me. "I have no idea whether to be afraid or to laugh."

"Be afraid," I advise. "Be very afraid."

"Right," Fuu says, audibly gulping as she backs away a step.

"Now," Koyuki says, cracking her knuckles. "I will admit you have a _moderate_ amount of talent to pull a fast one like that on me, but such insolence will _not_ be tolerated."

It takes me a moment to realize that Koyuki's actually out to physically harm Fuu. I stand up and grab Koyuki's arm before she gets any closer. "Koyuki, I will allow you to lecture Fuu, but you lay a hand on her I will do something you won't like."

Koyuki glowers at me. "Unhand me."

"Act like the rightful sovereign of your nation and not like a angry teenager and I will," I say.

"Look," Fuu says. "I'm sorry, okay? I just wanted to show that I'm not a sucky ninja like you think I am! Besides, I thought you needed the sleep anyway! I didn't mean for it to happen in the katsudon bowl, that was just something extra!"

"'Something extra'?" Koyuki asks dangerously.

Fuu, you're not helping yourself.

"Koyuki, let Fuu finish apologizing. There's no way she could have known you'd dunk your head in a katsudon bowl," I say.

Koyuki glares at me. "The least you could've done is take my head out of the bowl, Kushina. And don't tell me it's because I looked comfortable in there."

Well then. I think this is going to go on for a while . . .

Much to my dismay. And everyone else's.

But that's life, I suppose.

* * *

A/N: Before you think Kushina forgave Anko, note that she did _not_ use three very important words: "I forgive you". Note that the first thing Kushina did was spirit Naruto away from Anko's training too. The trust is gone, and it could be a long time before that comes back . . . and before Kushina truly does forgive Anko.

Actions have consequences. So does deception, no matter how well-meaning it is.

On a lighter note, it seems Laura Bailey is the official dub voice for Kushina Uzumaki if Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 is an indicator. She's already the current dub voice for Anko Mitarashi as well. Considering how often Anko and Kushina interact in this fic, I wonder how long it'd take to drive Laura completely insane if she were to do any of the Redeemer scenes between Anko and Kushina. :3


	34. The Salt in Her Snow

This chapter's going up a bit early on Good Friday due to personal reasons.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Four: The Salt in Her Snow**

_Sasuke Uchiha_

"All right, that's enough for today! Good work!" Anko-sensei says, clapping her hands.

Naruto bends down, panting. "I never thought the drills were gonna end."

"It's called 'reinforcing the fundamentals'," Anko-sensei replies. "You're not going to pull off fancy A-rank ninjutsu without keeping the basics in mind. You can die from a broken neck or your throat being slit just as easily as being blasted by, say, a Fireball Technique."

Anko-sensei looks towards the hotel. We've been practicing outside all this time, in the cold. The cold doesn't feel so bad when all you've been doing is exercising. You'd be surprised how warm you feel, though for only a moment.

"Look," Anko-sensei says. "The day after tomorrow, we're going to be going to war. I mean, I haven't officially agreed to help Koyuki out, but I don't see any way to get out of this without fighting for her. This is going to be an A-ranked mission. Possibly S-ranked thanks to her uncle Doto though Kushina Uzumaki ought to take care of _that_ part of the mission for us. I'm not going to watch the three of you get killed because you're lacking a fundamental."

She sighs. "I refuse."

Hinata is laying on her back in the snow, panting heavily. She really couldn't keep going anymore. In-between gasping breathes, she manages "No one talks about the Third Shinobi World War."

"We're all too young to have experienced _that_," Anko-sensei replies. "But I've experienced intense, lethal battle. When you get down to it it's not much different than war. There's just _more_ of it going on at once when it's a battlefield."

Mother's never talked about that war either. Neither do most of the adults and elders in Konoha. It's like they pretend it never happened. I have a bad feeling we're about to find out _why_ they don't talk about it.

"This is primarily going to be a stealth mission. Ms. Uzumaki and I will be doing most of the takedowns. The job of you three is to support us and designate targets. There isn't going to be any ninjutsu here unless we're forced into a battle. Ninjutsu attracts too much attention."

Anko-sensei looks at us all, one by one, from Hinata to me to Naruto. "That's why I'm drilling you so much in fundamentals. Our position cannot be given away. We can't sound the alarm, because it won't just hurt _us_, it'll hurt the other team who is going to be opening the gates. If the Kusa team fails, it's going to be really hard for _us_ to get out."

I know Anko-sensei is leaving out an important detail. "And what if _we_ fail?" I ask.

"If we fail, that means we've restarted the Land of Snow's civil war, and it's not going to end just because Koyuki takes over the fortress. Plus, if we fail, it makes the Kusa ninja's jobs much harder which makes our escape much more difficult again."

"So we have the harder job," I reply.

"Yeah," Anko-sensei says with a nod. "We do."

Supporting an assassination is my first mission, Mother, and if we fail we're likely going to die. I wonder what you would think of this now.

Naruto's been strangely subdued lately, and Hinata is scared. She's not ready for this at all. Anko-sensei and Ms. Uzumaki will be concentrating on the mission. It's my job to make sure Naruto and Hinata both hold together, then. And I need to keep from losing it too.

This is what I've been training to do. This is the end result of me being at the top of my class. I knew this was gonna happen someday, and it doesn't feel quite real now that it is. But we have to do it. We can't be ninja if we can't do it.

"How are the Kusa ninja doing?" I ask.

Anko-sensei shrugs. "They've been doing drills and stuff too. The oldest genin with them, Ryuuzetsu, looks like she's killed before, honestly. Definitely experienced. The other two genin look younger than any of you three . . . and look like they're brand-new, too."

Anko-sensei scratches the back of her head. "Kusa has always been a small village. They don't have a lot of genin, they can't take the liberties Konoha can do with washing so many genin out every year. Everyone in Kusa has to become a genin, there _is_ no civilian life until after you're done with service. So some of Kusa's genin can be _really_ quirky."

Quirky as in "bad", Anko-sensei? I'm not gonna say that though, it's impolite. "So you think that it's their C-rank too, huh?"

"Might be their first mission _period_ to be honest," Anko-sensei says. "Not just their first C-rank. Kusa doesn't have genin do many D-ranks, they tend to throw their genin right into the fire to see if they can handle it or not. If they can't handle it they get washed out."

Anko-sensei sighs. "I think their sensei and the Ryuuzetsu girl should be able to keep them in line and disciplined, though. I've been hearing that the Oto jonin has finally woken up too."

Great. Just what I need. The Sound ninja, back and ready for more. Even if they are considering betraying Doto Kazahana, they just don't _look_ like good people to me. There's something _off_ about them.

"I'm freezing, can we go inside?" Naruto asks.

"Yeah, we should. Let's have a warm meal and get some relaxation," Anko-sensei says. She claps her hands. "Follow me."

I'm looking forward to heat and a hot meal. You don't realize how important those things are until you're without them for such a long time. I'm hoping I don't have to go back to this country ever again. Just too damn cold.

And too damn lethal.

* * *

Hinata is still shivering an hour later, after we've all eaten and wandering the hallway. Even Naruto notices. "Yo, Hinata. You okay?"

"Just cold," Hinata says, hugging herself.

"Aw man. I hope you ain't getting _sick_," Naruto groans. "That'll be a thing that'll give us away when we're on the mission, if one of us sneezes."

"I don't think I am," Hinata replies softly.

I've gotten used enough to Hinata's behavior over the last couple of months to know it's not just the cold. She's scared. She just does not have the mindset for battle. It took that Kin girl turning her attention towards Naruto and I to make Hinata come out and fight. Until that point, it seemed she was mostly getting beaten up by Zaku and Kin.

They ganged up on her because they thought she was the weakest link. And after all of the pain she had felt, and being taken_hostage_ by Guren, the sensei of that team, I don't blame her for being scared.

"If you're scared you should just say so," I say, which makes Hinata's face turn red. "It's all right."

"I'm not scared," Hinata replies, but her voice sounds even softer and shyer than before.

"Why'd ya have to go and say that for, Sasuke?" Naruto asks, his eyes lit up.

"It's nothing to freak out over," I reply. "We're all scared, Naruto."

"I'm not! Believe it!" Naruto exclaims.

Typical answer from Naruto. He's starting to come back to life a bit. "Naruto, denying being scared just makes it worse. It's better to talk about it, and then you feel better afterwards."

"I'm just sayin' that I'm not scared! I'm ready to fight!" Naruto turns his back on me with a "Hmmph!"

"You three have no clue what you're talking about," says a harsher, older voice.

I turn around and there's the Kusa girl Anko-sensei talked about, Ryuuzetsu, her hair tied up in that green bandanna like always and wearing that baggy, layered clothing as well. Her arms are folded in front of her, and she has this _annoyed_ look on her face that suggests she just wants to slam our heads together.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?" Naruto asks, spinning back around.

"You think by fighting one battle, one battle without either side using any kind of killing intent, much less going for the kill _period_, you know what battle is?" Ryuuzetsu asks as she walks between us. "Let me answer that for you, you _don't_. You haven't killed people and you haven't watched your friends die either."

"And what makes you so smart about it?" Naruto asks. Say what you will about Naruto, but he's willing to defend his position to the end. And that includes Hinata and I though he's probably not aware of that.

"One of your Konoha ninja killed my two teammates in a Chuunin Exam I took in Ame two years ago," Ryuuzetsu suddenly says. "One was killed instantly, the other I held the hand of as she died on my lap, crying my name softly, her eyes pleading for help until they fell lifeless."

She lets that hang for a moment. "Once you know what that feels like, then you know what battle is like."

She begins walking away. Hinata looks like she's going to throw up. And even Naruto looks like he's at a loss for words. As for me . . . it just adds another layer of cruelty onto things. Now I feel nervous, _consciously_ nervous. I want to start shaking too.

"Hey!" Naruto suddenly shouts. "You didn't have to go and freak all of us out like that either, ya know! I'm sorry 'bout your friends, but I'm not gonna let that happen to Hinata _or_ Sasuke!"

The Kusa girl turns back towards Naruto, and she gives him a look of borderline-disdain. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Well then, tell us what you're talking 'bout, then!" Naruto shouts. "Don't come walking past us saying words of doom and stuff and just walk away all cool!"

Ryuuzetsu's eyes widen, and then they relax. The look of disdain is gone from her face. "Well. You have a lot of spirit."

"Believe it!" Naruto yells. "I'm not-"

That's when it hits.

Suddenly, I see a vision of a surprise shuriken coming right towards my forehead. I freeze up, like I'm stuck in ice. And it comes, closer and closer until I see it hit me. And another hit Naruto, blood spilling from his neck like a geyser.

Pain. So much of it. I feel myself fading too. Like everything's shutting down. Going black. As I fall, I see Hinata bleeding from the neck, like it's been sliced open. I can just see Ryuuzetsu's body standing next to Hinata, a kunai in her hand as she cuts Hinata's throat open.

And then I'm back to reality.

Nothing's happened. Ryuuzetsu has not moved.

Naruto's shaking like he's had cold water dumped on him. I turn to Hinata, and she's leaning against the wall, her hands closed in front of her chest, sweat is pouring down her face.

Killing intent. That's what just happened. She hit us _all_ with it.

It's the killing intent of someone who _has_ killed and will do it again. I can tell. It was a ferocious, detailed vision of my death and of my teammates's deaths.

"What the three of you just felt is how I killed three genin from Kiri once," Ryuuzetsu says, her voice steely. "That is what death feels like. That is what killing intent feels like. And I can see that only one of you can handle just the _intent_. What about the battle itself, when the intent becomes true?"

She sighs. "I'm sorry. But you three need to face reality. That was a vision of battle. True battle, where you're going for the kill. You have the rest of today and tomorrow to get ready for that. Use it wisely to mentally prepare yourself."

She vanishes then, leaving the three of us in the hallway. Naruto's shaking worse than ever, and Hinata's actually fallen over.

I run over to Hinata, whose pale face has gotten so pale she looks like she's about to die. "Hinata, you okay?"

"Sorry." Her voice is so soft and wispy I almost can't hear her voice.

"Come on, get up," I say. "It was just intent. She wasn't gonna kill us and she won't do it."

Truth is, despite that being the truth, I just feel more nervous than before. That _was_ a realistic, gruesome look at us all dying. Naruto and I each getting a shuriken put in a lethal spot, Naruto in the throat, and I on an unguarded part of my head, and then Ryuuzetsu charging up and sticking a kunai through Hinata's windpipe. She had shown us a vision of that happening in just a few seconds.

On one hand, I'm glad she's on our side. On the other, I'm nervous that she is. She clearly doesn't have much respect for the three of us.

I pull Hinata up. "Come on. Shake it off. We're gonna be okay."

I turn to where Naruto was. "Naruto, are you . . .?"

He's on his hands and knees, wiping his eyes.

He took it just as badly as Hinata. If not worse.

Damn it. I thought Naruto would've taken it better. He's always acting tough, but . . .

"Leave me alone," Naruto growls as he looks at me. He definitely _is_ crying now.

"I'm just asking if you're all right," I say.

"I _said_ leave me alone!" Naruto yells.

I am not going to be screamed at because Naruto's losing it on me! I walk up to him, grab Naruto, and crash him against the wall. "Get it together! Don't yell at me and Hinata like that!"

Naruto glares at me, and then looks away. "Sorry. Lemme go."

I look back over to where Ryuuzetsu had been standing. Just because she made her point didn't give her the right to hit us all with killing intent like this. She did it just to hurt us, probably. Naruto being defiant and everything got on her nerves and so she decided to put us all in our places.

Hinata and Naruto are both in tears now, and I know Naruto in particular is in trouble. He's not like this. Maybe Ryuuzetsu saved the strongest part of her intent for _him_, making sure he had it worse than Hinata or myself.

There's no way I'm just letting this girl walk away after doing that.

"Hinata, you and Naruto go find somewhere to calm down. I'm going to have a talk with her," I say as I let go of Naruto.

"W-Wait! Sasuke!" Hinata yells, and I know I have to turn around and smile at her. It'll make her feel better.

"It's not like she's an enemy. She just needs to know there's a line that shouldn't be crossed," I say.

"B-But . . ." Hinata's lips tremble, like she thinks I'm going off to die.

"I'm not gonna get hurt. If she hits me with killing intent again I'll kick her ass. She doesn't do that to us. None of us."

"Save some of her for me," Naruto says as I walk away.

Even when brought to tears, Naruto still has fight in him, or is at least trying to act like he still does. I have to respect that. He refuses to show weakness.

I give him the thumbs-up and then walk away, searching for Ryuuzetsu.

It's going to be dark shortly. She's not going to be outside. Too damn cold.

Just the entire hotel to search . . .

* * *

I hear the sound of a shakuhachi playing a slightly breathy, gentle, mournful tune. In my opinion, this is when the shakuhachi is at its most effective. It sounds lonely, sad, something aching and longing being gradually released.

Like at the funeral for my fallen clan four years ago, when the shakuhachi played so slowly as I watched my clan be buried one by one into the ground with Mother's hands on my shoulders. Remembering that day just makes me want to cry, just like Naruto and Hinata did after being hit with that killing intent.

I peer around the corner, and I see Ryuuzetsu, blowing into her mouthpiece attached to the shakuhachi. I let the song finish, or seem to finish, before I speak.

"Pretty song. Never heard it before," I say.

Ryuuzetsu doesn't act surprised at all. There's no visible reaction from her, her face remains impassive as she slowly lowers her shakuhachi. "I wrote it myself."

"Really? Do you play that with your teammates when you perform sankyoku?" I ask.

"No. It's personal. I wrote it for a friend I longer have," Ryuuzetsu says.

I sit down next to her. "You want to talk about it? I know my teammates and I set you off, and it's gotta be about _something_ or you wouldn't do it. You don't strike me as that kind of person."

"What kind of person do I strike you as?" Ryuuzetsu asks.

"Sad and a little bit bitter," I reply. "But you don't start fights. You don't like to fight more than you have to. You even apologized for hitting us with killing intent right after you did it. _That_ was the first."

Ryuuzetsu smiles ever so slightly. "Your teammate, Naruto, got on my nerves."

"He gets on your nerves a lot when you meet him for the first time," I say. "But you get to realize that what makes him bug you is also what makes him special. He's got a lot of energy and determination. He's just going to charge through whatever's in his way no matter how tired he is."

"He's been traumatized by killing intent. He was hit with it _hard_ when he was young," Ryuuzetsu says suddenly.

I didn't expect _that_ response. "Really?"

"There's another kid in Kusa who's the exact same way. He had been hit _hard_ with killing intent when he was four, five years old, he had snuck into the Houzukijou, the Blood Prison of Kusa, on a dare and was hit with such vicious killing intent from the prisoners that he could not function after being hit with it afterwards. He didn't even get a chance to try to be a ninja, they washed him out the moment he graduated from our ninja academy. He was a genin for all of twenty-four hours, just . . . just a formality in the end. He's a farmer now," Ryuuzetsu says.

"Was that your friend?" I ask. I don't want to discuss what this means for Naruto. It just freaks me out to think about it.

But I can't imagine Naruto washing out. I just can't. He's too determined to wash out. It doesn't surprise me that he'd be traumatized either. Some of the villagers _really_ hated him, though I don't know why they'd take it out on _him_. He wasn't the one who damaged Konoha, killed ten, and wounded ninety-eight others.

He isn't even aware of the total casualty count, I don't think. I'm not even sure if Ms. Uzumaki is aware of it either.

"No. My friend was named Muku. He vanished when he and I were eight years old," Ryuuzetsu says.

"Vanished?" I ask. "Like he was kidnapped?"

"In a sense," Ryuuzetsu says, and then she sighs. "This will take a while to explain. There's two factions in Kusa, Sasuke Uchiha. One is called Grass Fruit. The other is called Grass Flower."

Her hands grip the shakuhachi harder, her fingers fidgeting with the holes. "Grass Fruit favors Kusa's alliances with Suna and Konoha, and believes that through our alliances we will return to our former glory before the wars. Grass Flower favors opening something called the Box of Ultimate Bliss to give Kusa the power to be dominant over our allies and our enemies. Grass Flower has become a tiny minority over the years, especially after the last attempt to open the Box went horribly wrong."

"Muku," I say as the realization hits me.

"Yes. They thought his chakra would be able to open it but they guessed wrong. The box just sucked him in." Ryuuzetsu looks up at the ceiling. "I wrote this song for him, so I can think of him . . . and to remind myself to make sure no one else ends up like him, pulled into the box."

She smiles mirthlessly and shakes her head. "This is gonna be my last mission before I leave my team. They don't know it yet. I know Sango and Tadashi want to attempt the Chuunin Exams at Konoha, and Hajime-sensei thinks they're ready, but . . . to be honest, I don't think they are, so this helps protect them too."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

Ryuuzetsu's humorless smile goes away. "I'm going to get stronger on my own and then get thrown into the Houzukijou and make sure that the man foolish enough to open up that box never gets another chance."

"That's just crazy," I hear an all-too-familiar voice say.

Naruto. He's standing right there, Hinata right behind him, looking a bit nervous.

Ryuuzetsu scoffs. "Oh. You."

"How is _that_ gonna fix _anything_, huh? With that Box of Whatever-High-And-Mighty-Junk?" Naruto growls. "That's just stupid. That's throwin' your life away. Ya think this one through at _all_?"

Ryuuzetsu stares.

"Ya wanna know how ya fix this, make sure that Box of Shiny-Doom-Stuff don't get opened? Ya wanna know how ya make sure no one ends up like ya buddy Muku?" Naruto barks.

He slams his fist into his palm. "Ya get stronger and then you kick everyone's asses, that's what! Ya pass the Chuunin Exams and bring ya village notice so everyone's gotta respect you, even the bastard who keeps trying to open the stupid box! And if the bastard keeps trying to open the box, ya summon your friends from all over the place to walk right into that bastard's house and kick his ass for tryin' to open the dumb box! Ya hear me?"

"You have an interesting perspective," Ryuuzetsu says. It takes a moment, but I see a small smile appear on her face. It's not necessarily the humorless one from before either.

"I'm just sayin' that's how ya do it! No martyrin' yourself!" Naruto says, and then he sits down on the other side of Ryuuzetsu with a "Hmmph!"

Ryuuzetsu chuckles. "You make it sound so easy."

"The way you were talkin' about didn't sound so easy either," Naruto says. "It just sounded like a way for ya to get beaten up by everybody, that's what."

He grins at her. "I don't like the sound of that stupid box. That bastard ya keep talking about really wants to try and open it again, just lemme know. I'll go all the way to Kusa and kick his ass myself!"

Suddenly, Ryuuzetsu begins laughing. She actually starts _laughing_ and falls backward, rolling on the floor, clutching her ribs.

"What? What did I say?" Naruto asks.

"I thought you were saying something really nice and strong, not funny," Hinata adds.

I'm personally in agreement here. I don't know why Ryuuzetsu would be laughing so hard.

She finally gets herself together. "Nothing! Nothing kills that spirit of yours, does it? I make you cry and then you come right in here and volunteer to _help_ me!"

She shakes her head and looks at Naruto. "What kinda person are you?"

Naruto grins. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and I'm going to be the next Hokage, that's what."

Ryuuzetsu does something unexpected. She leans over to Naruto and _hugs_ him.

"A-wha?" Naruto asks, his face turning red.

Ryuuzetsu pats Naruto on the shoulders. "I needed that. Thank you."

She stands up and smiles at the three of us. "I actually feel up to performing for once. Sango and Tadashi want their private concert they'll get one. I'm gonna shoot for about eight o'clock, maybe eight-thirty, if you want to watch. Later."

She jogs away, leaving the three of us in the room, silent.

"Can someone tell me what just happened?" Naruto asks.

"I'm confused too," Hinata says.

They stare at me, like they expect _me_ to know how Naruto's little pep talk would suddenly change Ryuuzetsu's mood like that.

"I don't know. She told me a little bit, but it's not like I know her very well or anything," I say. "Maybe what she found funny is that even though she hit Naruto with killing intent and he's still willing to help her out. I think it's the 'shocked' kind of amusement."

"Ya just talkin' out of your ass, pretty boy," Naruto says.

Did Naruto _have_ to call me out? "Yeah, kind of," I admit.

"Eh, whatever. I hope she does decide to enter the Exams though," Naruto says, grinning. "I think she would make a good opponent, don't you?"

"She'd be a challenge, that's for sure," I agree. She's taken the Exams at least once, and has probably tried it more than once. She'll be looking to pass them this time, that's for sure.

"Can't wait," Naruto giggles. Even Hinata smiles at that.

She's from Kusa. Other than this mission and possibly the Exams I'm never going to see her again. But I wouldn't mind getting to know her better. I feel that she would understand me, just a little bit. I certainly understand where _she_ is coming from.

Maybe she and I can talk again, if there's a chance, before the battle the day after tomorrow.

She's actually somewhat like me. I can tell. I haven't met anyone else remotely close this whole time. It just . . . I don't know how to describe it.

It's never too early in your career as a ninja to make new allies either. Even if it means stopping some Box of Ultimate Bliss from being opened down the line as part of the terms.

Which I don't mind at all. It's just a box that's gotta stay closed, right? That's all it is.

I _hope_ it is.

Uh . . .

I have the feeling I have _no_ idea what I'm getting myself into all of a sudden . . .

* * *

A/N: This chapter was originally titled "Ryuuzetsu's Memory" but the chapter title was changed for to prevent spoilers about Ryuuzetsu's presence in the fic.

Naruto Shippuden Movie 5: Blood Prison will be adapted into the Redeemer-universe, but not in this fic. Just enjoy the little hints of it for now.


	35. Namikaze Satellite

The Easter Bunny recommended I give you guys an Easter present, so . . . here you go. Chapter 35.

EDIT: I fixed the error Riku_Uzumaki mentioned.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Five: Namikaze Satellite**

_Minato, our son could die tomorrow. _

_You know that, right? _

_He's going to be fighting in his first lethal battle. A battle where people _will _be trying to kill him. This is what he's been dragged into. What I've _allowed _our son to be dragged into. _

_I know I can get him out of here. I could spirit him away and be long gone, and get across the closed borders. But I won't do that. I can't. That would be abandoning his team, abandoning everyone here, people who _need _me here because I'm the one who's going to kill the regent of this land. That is my mission, Minato. _

_All of my years alive, I have never been asked to assassinate a regent. I have done assassinations, Minato, though most of them have been in the last four years. I despise them. They make me feel empty, and they greatly amuse the Nine-Tailed Fox. But I'm in no position to refuse assassination missions. They're something I _have _to do. What all ninja have to do. _

_And Naruto is being dragged along for this one. This will be his first assassination too. He's not going to kill Doto Kazahana, but he may have to kill someone else tomorrow. How am I going to explain this to him? What he's going to feel like when he takes his first life? _

_There's something _wrong _about what we do, Minato, and I don't know what that is. I'd rather fight to protect a life than to take it. You can argue that as ninja we should come to expect this. In ancient times, this was all that ninja did. We killed people, we did not protect them. _

_But, in the decades, maybe even centuries, as we've slowly superceded the samurai, we've been asked to be more like samurai. We have been asked to have more honor. We have been asked to protect. We have been asked to obey laws and grow consciences. This just does not sit right with me, even though Doto Kazahana is a complete monster, a monster who helped rape and murder all of the civilians in Uzushio. I just do not have the hate in my heart to desire the man's death. _

_I honestly wonder if anything besides our son being in mortal danger will make me desire to kill. _

_Wait, that's not true. I've noticed I _change _a bit when I take on the Nine-Tails' chakra. That scares me too. _

_I am not myself, not completely, when I am drawing on that chakra, on that well of _power_. I steadily lose myself as I grow more and more powerful, forgetting my techniques bit by bit or having my chakra grow so unstable I can't use them. And I desire death. I desire murdering all that stands in my way. And I _enjoy _it. People become prey to me, and I love that feeling._

_How will Naruto take it if he has to see me like that? How?_

_Will he not mind at all like you, Minato? Or will he reject me? _

_I don't know. I'm just scared. Scared for our son. Scared about everything. _

_How am I going to deal with this, Minato? How about you answer me? Stop listening and answer me!_

_What should I be doing? _

_You're doing it again. I see the light growing brighter. _

_Please . . . just once . . . for me . . . _

JUST ANSWER ME!

* * *

Why? Why do I always wake up as you turn around? Why am I always shaking and crying?

I can't take it anymore. You must hate me, Minato. You must. That's why you're always silent and just throw me away back into this world like I'm so much garbage.

I'm sorry. Whatever I did, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!

"Had another Minato vision, huh?"

Oh. I forgot there's someone else sleeping in the room. Anko.

She's well aware of these too. She's lived with me for almost four whole years.

"Y-Yes." I swallow and wipe my eyes. I'm just hoping that Anko being here means I'll stop crying faster this time.

Anko sighs. "He still didn't say anything to you this time, did he?"

"N-No. He didn't." I feel my hands grip my sheets so hard that it feels like I'm going to slice holes through the fabric. I just . . . I just can't handle it anymore, Minato. The way you seem to torture me by doing this to me.

"Look, I never knew the guy, but I highly doubt he hates you," Anko says to me. "I know you're wondering that. But from what you've told me of the 4th Hokage, he'd never hate you. He'd be overjoyed that you're back with Naruto, Kushina."

Yes. Yes, of course. Anko is right. I'm just being foolish, Minato. Am I?

I just don't know anymore.

"You sure you're okay?" Anko asks.

"I'm honestly surprised y-you care considering I tortured you the other day," I reply.

Anko chuckles. "I knew it was gonna happen eventually. It's all right. I deserved it."

"Anko, don't cut yourself down just to make me feel better. It wasn't justified. Any of it. You're not that person anymore. You've proved it to me the entire time I've known you." I can feel my voice growing stronger and smoother the more I talk. I'll be all right in another minute.

Until another one of those visions, dreams, nightmares, whatever they are.

I just know I can't call them "messages" because you never talk to me, Minato.

Anko sighs. "Well then, I guess it's time to get up and do something. I need to take Naruto and the others out for more training. Make sure they're ready for tomorrow. I'm going to concentrating more on fighting today than just on fundamentals. Keep reinforcing battle behavior so that way none of them panic."

"I'm sure that fight against the Oto ninja gave them a good dose of the real thing," I say. "It looked like a pretty close fight. I was actually going to step in but when Sasuke and Naruto took out that bandaged kid, Dosu, I held back. I realized your team had seized the advantage."

Anko chuckles. "Well, thank you for that. Problem is, those Oto ninja weren't throwing killing intent around. Their sensei forbade them from going for the kill. It makes a good warm-up about but the thing is that if we wind up in a battle tomorrow, _everyone_ will be trying to kill us. That's different from that battle. Very different."

What Anko says is true, even though I don't want to admit it. I didn't feel a bit of killing intent from any of those Oto ninja. They looked uncouth and rebellious but they listened to their sensei. They were not looking to kill anyone but Koyuki.

"I understand," I say. "I'm sure Koyuki will be formally briefing us sometime today as well."

Anko sighs. "That's fine with me. I just hope that the Oto ninja don't get involved in this one. It'll just piss me off if they do."

I smile at her. I can fully understand Anko's sentiment. "I agree. I hope not."

* * *

"You've gotta be kidding!" Anko shrieks.

Our hopes for the Oto ninja not getting involved are dashed thanks to Koyuki, who is standing in the center of what seems to be her "war room", with Guren, the Oto jonin, at her side.

"I just _protected_ you from this bitch!" Anko shouts, pointing her finger at Guren. "And then you're going to recruit her?"

Guren gives Anko a smile that is a bit too smug for my liking. I don't know whether it's to rile Anko up or whether she's hiding something I have no knowledge of. "If I wanted to kill Koyuki, I would already have, Anko Mitarashi. My interest right now is in Koyuki's rewards if we succeed in this operation. I like the look of this 'teppou' personally. I wouldn't mind bringing knowledge of that back to Oto."

"If you had killed her, there's no way in hell I'd have let you leave here alive or your genin," Anko replies. She means it, I can tell. Guren _really_ makes Anko mad.

Guren sighs. The smug look from her face vanishes. "Anko Mitarashi, take a look at who's standing next to you."

It takes me a moment to realize Guren is talking about _me_. "Why am I getting dragged into this?" I ask.

"Because you are Kushina Uzumaki," Guren says. "Yes, I know who you are. Oto has good intelligence on several Konoha jonin. You're in my bingo book."

Doesn't surprise me that I'm in Guren's bingo book, if I'm in Koyuki's bingo book too. I'm starting to wonder if I'm becoming too exposed for my own good. I just hope Guren is unaware that I'm a jinchuuriki.

"You have a bit of an odd gap in your history, though," Guren says. "You just dropped off the map for an eight-year-span, right as the Third Shinobi World War came to an end. You were an A-ranked jonin at the time. Then you resurface, and all of a sudden you're S-ranked. Mind if I ask why?"

She can't be serious. "It's personal, and I don't trust you with the information," I reply.

Guren chuckles. "Sounds to me that you took a sabbatical and got a helluva lot stronger while you were on it. I can't imagine you spending eight years raising your kid without any missions and you being promoted to S-rank anyway."

I'm not surprised about Guren revealing she knows that tidbit. She and her team just fought Naruto, after all. That's not a common name in the world. If she knows my son is named Naruto, and she hears the name "Naruto" uttered, odds are it's my son, especially if I'm nearby.

"I did get a lot stronger," I say. "Betray us and you'll witness a demonstration."

Koyuki clears her throat, a clear hint to _stop_. "Damn, you three sound like _men_ right now. Is this was all kunoichi are like? Give it a rest. I've made my decision."

She looks at Guren. "I've given you my objectives and my plans for you. You are dismissed."

"Thank you." Guren walks past the two of us, but stops right as she gets the door and turns around.

She sighs. "You both forget that my team was deceived by Doto Kazahana. We were ordered to assassinate 'Yukie Fujikaze', not 'Koyuki Kazahana'. As 'Yukie Fujikaze' does not exist, our contract with Doto is null and void as far as I am concerned. Also, I'd like my genin to enter the Chuunin Exams, and continuing to fight Konoha ninja is a detriment to that."

"How selfless of you," Anko replies, clearly sarcastic and skeptical.

Guren chuckles. "To be honest, it's more about Nadare Roga than anything else. The bastard came and captured you, Anko, but did not lift a finger to help my genin or me if my genin are to be believed. In fact, he _mocked_ us. Called us backwater hicks with gimmicks for ninjutsu. I want to prove to him that my genin and I are not to be trifled with, not without lethal consequences."

With that, she closes the door on us, leaving just Anko and I here with Koyuki.

Koyuki clears her throat again. "In addition to assisting Haijime Kuroishi and his team in opening the gates, Guren has been given the task of eliminating the castle defenses. There's some nasty devices on the walls that should be disabled or my group will take many casualties before they enter the castle, the gate open or not."

"Glad you think you can trust them," Anko grumbles.

"I may not be a ninja, but I am _very_ aware of my surroundings and of people," Koyuki replies. "I can tell when one lies to me. Guren did nothing of the sort when she offered to fight for me instead. Thus, Oto gets the same reward Konoha and Kusa will receive for fighting with me."

As logical as it sounds, I'm not necessarily happy with this news. Guren just doesn't strike me as trustworthy. There's an odd air about her that I don't like. Like she thinks she knows more than everyone else, and there's nothing we can do to stop her scheming. I know this isn't out of the good in Guren's heart, anyway. Koyuki probably gave Guren an offer she could not refuse. Either that or Guren is being motivated solely by her apparent grudge against Nadare Roga.

Anko just shakes her head. "This doesn't sit right with me. It doesn't."

I'm not happy about it either, but if Koyuki is dividing up the reward equally I'd rather have Konoha benefit from it than be at a disadvantage to Kusa and the unknown Oto. "I'm not thrilled about it, Anko, but if we're going to fight for Koyuki that's something we're going to have to do."

Anko scoffs and sits down. "Fine."

"Thank you," Koyuki says with a nod. "Let's get started then. We're going to go over infiltration here. I've already repeated this twice before, so don't make me have to go over it again."

She points at the map, specifically at several circles and markings. "Doto's fortress is situated near the middle of this mountain, with a peak right next to it. Leading up to it are a bunch of forests that Doto intended to cut down for visibility purposes but as Doto believes the resistance is finished as a fighting force, he never got around to it. The southwest forest is the one you and the other ninja are heading into. Doto does have outposts in the forest but I have people on the inside who can guide you to an outpost that links directly to the castle. There, they will guide you through the underground and you'll pop up in a tunnel directly under the castle."

Koyuki pauses. "This should go off pretty smoothly. If it doesn't, just get out of there, the operation's already hopeless."

She scoffs then. "Of course, it's hopeless if Jiraiya doesn't show up. I'm still peeved that you let Jiraiya walk away, Kushina Uzumaki."

To be honest, there was nothing I could've seen that would have stopped him from leaving. Nor could I think of anything that had even a _slim_ chance of working. What Jiraiya had said to me in that room, while Koyuki was peacefully dozing off in her katsudon bowl, had disarmed me completely. How could I fight with him, how could I argue with him, after everything he had said?

I can't say that to Koyuki though, that I had let Jiraiya go because of sentimentality . . . or that stopping Jiraiya honestly never occurred to me either, now that I think bout it. "I did not let him go, but Jiraiya made his case for leaving _convincing_," I say, evading the answer but not lying.

Koyuki sighs. "Sure."

"Don't discount Jiraiya. Once he says he'll do something, he'll do it," I say. He even made sure Naruto would be okay with Anko. The young woman would not be Naruto's sensei or standing here with me or possibly not even be in Konoha at all if it weren't for Jiraiya. I just can't summon the anger I had towards Jiraiya right now. Maybe if he comes back, maybe if he peeks at me again. But not right now.

"He has a sterling reputation beyond his womanizing ways, so I hope so," Koyuki replies.

She pulls out a different map. "The fortress according to my sources is pretty straightforward, not a real maze. Follow my hand closely. This is the way to the most likely locations for my Uncle Doto to be."

Koyuki traces her finger through the rooms and staircases, and I try to burn it to memory. Koyuki marks up several rooms along the way, showcasing where Doto might wind up being, particularly if he's alerted to our presence.

"Doto, again, believes in self-preservation," Koyuki says after a moment. "I've heard he's equipped himself with a type of prototype armor meant to be resistant to chakra-based attacks. So, theoretically, ninjutsu and genjutsu would be useless on him, the only way to defeat him easily would be with taijutsu."

"I'm not worried," Anko says confidently. "I doubt any chakra armor can stop the Chidori. You saw what mine can do, Koyuki. If I can break through solid crystal, I can break through this armor."

"You don't know that," Koyuki replies.

"Well, we're gonna find it out, won't we?" Anko replies. "Including if the Oto ninja wind up stabbing us in the back."

"They won't do that," Koyuki replies emphatically. "I know they won't."

"Koyuki, I'm secretly a cat named Tiger," Anko suddenly says.

Koyuki blinks. "Huh?"

"I just lied to you," Anko says. "But you couldn't detect the difference, could you?"

Koyuki blinks again, her face starting to turn red from embarrassment.

"If I can lie to you and make it seem convincing, especially over something as ridiculous and random as I just said, who says that those Oto ninja aren't pulling a fast one on you too?" Anko asks. "I don't trust them. Guren took one of my students hostage, Koyuki. You're making a mistake."

Personally, I want to pat Anko on the back. She's disarmed Koyuki, not with violence, but through words. I'm pretty impressed that she just did that to Koyuki, the manipulator and schemer herself.

But Koyuki, after biting her lip, comes right back. "So what would you suggest? Just let them go back to Doto Kazahana and have them try to kill me instead?"

Anko doesn't say anything, just looking at me. Her face screams _Help_.

"Explain," I say.

"I can't let them go back to Doto," Koyuki says. "The Oto ninja are too valuable. I'd rather gamble on them siding with me, than them as guaranteed adversaries fighting for Doto. It's four more ninja on my side, Anko Mitarashi, like it or not."

Anko folds her arms and looks away. "I'm just sayin', something looks funny about them, so."

"As long as they do what they're supposed to do, I don't care if something is _off_ about them," Koyuki replies.

Somehow, I'm not surprised Koyuki said this. Not at all.

Koyuki folds up the map and hands it to Anko. "Make sure your entire team knows this. They're not the ones who should have to kill Doto, but they're still involved in this."

"Fine," Anko grumbles as she takes the map.

She looks towards me. "I'm going to get my students started on their training."

"Take Fuu with you," I say.

Anko raises an eyebrow. "You sure?"

"Fuu won't stand to be left behind here. We all know she'll sneak out and attach herself to us anyway, because that's what she already _did_. So take Fuu and train her today, and hopefully she and the others can manage to get some kind of timing down before tomorrow," I reply. "She's coming with us on the mission."

Anko nods. "All right, got it."

Anko leaves then, and Koyuki shakes her head in dismay. "You have a lot of faith in that tactless, immature genin."

"Yes, I do," I reply. "I've seen her fight-"

"I don't want to hear it," Koyuki says, holding up her hand explicitly to silence me.

This is getting out of hand. What had Fuu ever done to Koyuki to make her hate Fuu so much? This wasn't just resentment or a bad first impression here.

"Why do you hate Fuu?" I ask. "What has she ever done to you?"

Koyuki glares at me. "She reminds me of my mother, a truly immature, restless woman unable to grow up and take responsibility. All I see in that girl is my mother all over again. I can't_stand_ it. I can't even be around her without wanting to scream."

She walks up to me. "You are excused. I will not discuss Fuu again."

Her eyes are making that quite clear. Koyuki is not a normal person. Normal people were generally more respectful to ninja, or even fearful, of us. Koyuki has no fear in regards to me. No fear of me, and no fear of any consequences of disrespect.

I can't tolerate this anymore. Her dressing Fuu down at every opportunity, and her treating me like I'm some _pawn_ to be maneuvered around. Koyuki may despise her mother, and Fuu by extension, but she has no right to take it out on the rest of us. That in itself defines immaturity.

"Fuu is an incredibly lonely girl who wants attention. She wants friends. She wants to be respected. And her ability suggests she is ready to become a chuunin. You are severely underestimating Fuu as a ninja _and_ as a person, Koyuki. Doing that to people just because they remind you of someone undesirable will only cost you in the long run."

Koyuki smiles, it's a cruel, cold slash. "I am not concerned with the long run right now, Kushina. I am just concerned with winning tomorrow's battle. Now, for the last time, you are _excused_."

Nope. No fear at all of me. She had no fear of Anko either until Anko put a kunai at her throat. Nothing other than her imminent death can intimidate her.

I turn to walk away. "Fine. But I'm just warning you, that's all, Koyuki."

"We'll see," Koyuki says. "We'll see."

I open the door and close it behind me. One more day. That's all I need to be here. One more day, then we execute the mission, and then we go home.

I'm not sure if I can stand to be around Koyuki much longer either.

She's reminding _me_ of an obnoxious brat put in a position of power.

Something tells me she takes after her mother much more than she thinks . . .

* * *

"Come on, focus, Naruto!" I shout as I watch my son concentrate on bringing the Chakra Chains into existence.

"I'm trying!" Naruto says, his chakra on the verge of going out of control.

He's trying so hard to keep control of two without his chakra being wasted. I figured after he managed to get one down in less than half an hour this session, we should try for two. It's been nearly three hours since then, and he hasn't been able to create two chains without reverting to his old habits.

And he's basically about to collapse. Anko worked him half to death outside today physically, and while he has plenty of chakra reserves, they're almost all gone.

I think that getting him to master two chains will take much longer than getting him to master one. Could be weeks, maybe even a month of constant practice and training.

I can't help but feel proud of him despite all of that. I really can't. He is not slacking. He is sincerely trying with everything he has, even if he has nothing left. And he's managed to create one perfect chain with zero chakra being wasted. It shows how much he shines with tutoring. It shows how badly he wants to master my technique, my signature technique.

I hope someday Naruto can make the Chakra Chains his own. And maybe some day around then or even before, I can show him your technique, Minato, your Rasengan. My version is _still _missing something and I don't know what it is, but maybe Naruto will discover what I can't, and complete your technique. And I know you'll be proud of him too.

He will have the techniques created by us but he will improve upon them and make them better than either of us could. That's what I wish for, besides Naruto fulfilling his dream of becoming Hokage just like you did.

I feel the chakra beginning to explode from Naruto's body. That's it. "Naruto, stop!"

"Y-Yes, Mom!" Naruto settles down, and the two chains he had brought into existence fade. As they vanish, Naruto falls on his hands and knees, panting, sweating pouring off his face and dripping onto the hardwood floor.

"That's enough for tonight," I say, walking over to check on him. His orange jumpsuit is soaked from the shoulders to his waist. His clothes are going to need a wash before tomorrow for sure.

"One more try!" Naruto gasps. "One more! I know I can get it!"

"Naruto, it's okay. You're out of chakra and we have a mission tomorrow. No more attempts tonight," I say, holding his shoulders and rubbing them. I know his arms have to be aching like they're going to fall off. His entire body, for that matter, is probably exhausted to near the point of collapse. I know this because I felt the aching myself when I taught myself this technique when I was around Naruto's age.

"Mom, please-"

"Naruto, I know when you've reached your limit, and you've reached it. It's okay. There'll be other days for you to master this," I say. I'm telling this for myself as much as Naruto. I have to keep my mind off the possibility of Naruto getting killed as much as possible. I have to tell myself there _will_ be a tomorrow for him.

There will. There _must_.

Naruto looks down. "I just . . ."

He's going to beat himself up for this. He thinks he hasn't impressed me. The truth is he has.

"Naruto, I expected you to take at least a week before you got to this level of progress. This is just the third day. You've done exceptionally well so far. You should be proud of yourself."

He looks up at me, and the quizzical look in his eyes can't help but make me smile. "Your father, the 4th Hokage, would be proud of you as well."

Naruto's eyes widen upon hearing that, and I hear him gasp softly.

I'm not going to make him admit that he already knows his father was the 4th Hokage. That isn't what matters. Neither is how he found out, whether it's because he logically deduced it or someone told him. What matters is that he knows little about his father, and I'm going to tell him who his father is. Well, the best I can, anyway, without you being around, Minato.

"Naruto, your father is Minato Namikaze, the 4th Hokage of Konoha. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner, but I had my reasons for not giving you the information."

"M-Mom, I . . ." Naruto looks down again. "Mom, I . . . I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" I ask.

"Mom, I . . . I already know that Minato Namikaze is my father! I just . . . I just thought you would never tell me, so I went and figured it out myself!"

He looks up at me, and I can see his eyes beginning to mist. "Mom, I'm sorry! I should've either waited for you or just told you before now! I just . . . I don't know . . ."

I bring Naruto in close, making sure to be gentle this time so he doesn't need to complain about it being "too tight". He's come right out and admitted it to me, then. This makes it easy. No pain. No awkwardness. "It's okay. I understand. I should've known that you'd figure it out, especially after you told me you figured out I was the jinchuuriki of Konoha. You are a smart young man, Naruto. Very smart, and no one gives you credit for that because you struggled in the Academy."

"I shouldn't have," Naruto says. "I shouldn't have. All I can think about is how I've been letting Dad down. That I haven't been good enough for him."

Is that so? I guess this confirms my own suspicions, that Naruto may know who his father was, but that is different from knowing his father _personally_. Naruto has no idea who his father was truly like.

But first, Naruto should know why I kept the information from him. He deserves to hear that reasoning.

"Naruto, the reason why I never told you who your father was so you wouldn't beat yourself up like this. I wanted you to just concentrate on being _yourself_, not trying to live up to who your father was. I didn't want to put the additional pressure on you, or make you question yourself. You need to walk your own path through life, Naruto, not try to emulate your father's. Especially if you want to become Hokage like he did."

"I'm sorry," Naruto says softly.

"Don't apologize. This is part of learning to walk your own path, Naruto. I can guide you down that path, that's part of my job, but you need to make your own decisions and you made them. And why you made those decisions are understandable. I have not been as good of a guide as I could have been," I reply.

Naruto doesn't answer, and I just hold him close, and listen to him breathing and sniff softly. He may be brash most of the time, but when you get down to it, he is still a child learning how to be a young man. He is twelve years old. And his first C-rank has gone spiraling out of control, far beyond anything he or I ever expected.

"Do you want to know about your father?" I ask him after a moment.

"Yes," Naruto says without any hesitation.

That doesn't surprise me at all. "Okay. Your father, Naruto, did not come from a ninja family. The Namikaze traditionally struggled to advance beyond genin, they were typically civilians or career genin, working as couriers and gate guards, supporting Konoha but never leading it. As a result, Minato was never expected to amount to much when he joined the ninja academy. Heck, _I_ never expected him to amount to much."

"Really?" Naruto asks.

"Really. I thought he was weak. Way too weak to be a ninja. And I found him creepy too, he was _always_ staring at me and I couldn't figure out why."

"Sounds like Hinata for some reason, she's _always_ staring at me in a creepy way too," Naruto replies.

Okay. Even with Naruto being oblivious to a crush as he is, it should still hit him any second now . . .

"Holy crap," Naruto whispers in total shock.

It finally registered. I was wondering when it would. Then again, that's something else he's inherited from me. I was oblivious to Minato's affections for a long, long time myself.

Hearing that can't help but make me chuckle. Like mother, like son. "That was basically my reaction when I realized Minato liked me too. But I need to get to that part first."

"Y-Yeah . . . okay," Naruto said, clearly still in Hinata-mode, trying to wrap his mind around the concept that Hinata _actually likes_ him, and isn't just being creepy with her stares.

I briefly contemplate stopping my story, but Naruto says "Okay," again with renewed focus. He's ready to hear more.

"Well, I had trouble in the Academy my entire time there. People liked mocking me because of my hair, because I grew it long, and I'd always throw tantrums and try to beat people up. People started to call me the 'Red-Hot Habanero' because of my tantrums and the way my hair would fly everywhere when I got mad. But Minato . . . he was the only person in the classroom who never provoked me, even in a teasing way. Even my genuine friends like Mikoto Uchiha would provoke me every now and then just for their own amusement. But Minato . . . he never did. He just . . ."

It's hard to come up with the right word. "He just _respected_ me from the very start, and he didn't find me as some person to just needle whenever he needed to laugh at something. He'd prefer to laugh _with_ me instead of _at_ me, if that makes sense. But I never noticed that. I was just concentrating on getting stronger so people would stop messing with me, and I would just notice Minato every now and then, always staring at me, and I would just go "Whaddya starin' at me for?' and he would always blush and look away, and I'd forget about him before I'd get really mad."

"He really liked you, huh?" Naruto asks me. By this point, I'm no longer hugging him, he's sitting directly in front of me as I tell him this story.

"I learned that when I was kidnapped by Kumo ninja as a genin. I left strands of my hair on the ground to leave a trail so someone could try to find me. Minato was the only one who found the hair strands and he went after me and rescued me."

"He had to rescue _you_? You're the strongest kunoichi in Konoha!" Naruto replies.

"I wasn't the strongest kunoichi back then, Naruto. I was a girl around your age, still trying to cope with the Nine-Tailed Fox inside me, not entirely sure of my own power. But yes, he rescued me, and I finally realized . . . I finally realized how much he actually cared about me. He did not find me as some odd girl to pester until she exploded. He found me to be a person, a real person, with feelings and emotions and strengths and weaknesses. And I began to see him that way too."

Reminiscing about this is starting to bring tears in my eyes and give me a funny feeling inside my chest. I haven't thought about our past together for such a long time, Minato. I had buried it when you had died, keeping it locked away deep inside. They were just so painful to think about that I had no choice if I wanted to function at all.

"What Minato became was a ninja. He became a jonin and trained his own group of students. His skills, particularly with seals, became so renowned that he became a favorite of the 3rd Hokage and eventually became the 4th Hokage when the 3rd retired. It was a brilliant career, Naruto. And I watched him grow up along the way, falling in love with him, never having eyes for any other man besides him. Yes, he found out I was a jinchuuriki eventually. And you know what? It did not matter to him. He saw me for who I was, and not for the demon within. Even in those rare occurrence that I drew on the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra, he never saw me as a beast. He loved me anyway."

Now that I think about it, Minato, I feel so foolish. I've been doubting your love for me more and more as I live without you. Naruto may have doubted me, but I've been doubting _you_ in turn, my love. I shouldn't be thinking that at all.

Anyway, I should finish this. I know they'll be serving dinner soon and there's a lot of people arriving in this area now. A lot of people that will be eating their final dinner tonight. Naruto and I should eat to regain energy for tomorrow, especially Naruto so his chakra can come back.

"And you want to know why he got so far, Naruto? How this man from a family that could never get promoted beyond genin would become a jonin and eventually the Hokage?"

"How?" Naruto asks.

"Because he worked hard, Naruto. Bloodlines and clans and all of that, it never mattered to him. He was going to work hard, he was going to become the best he could at everything he could, and he was going to work hard to impress and marry the only girl he had eyes for, _me_. That's what you're going to need to do. You need to work hard, Naruto. Nothing's going to be handed to you, including by me. Count on it."

Naruto stares into space for a second, and then he smiles. "That makes sense."

"You have the right to dream, Naruto," I say. "All children do. But what you need is to believe in yourself, and never stop striving. Your father never rested on his laurels or on his abilities, even after he became Hokage he always tried to better himself, whether it was meeting deadlines to issue missions or to perfect his seals and ninjutsu. And he . . . he . . . he always overcame his fear. He always did. Fear creates courage, Naruto. That's why I am still here, because Minato was brave . . ."

Do I want to get into this? The details of your death, Minato? When I don't even know how you were able to make sure I or the Nine-Tailed Fox would not fall into the hands of those evil people who went after me that night?

No. No, I can't. Naruto already has a pretty good idea of what happened, and if I begin talking about it, it's going to derail my entire point in this conversation. And it's going to make me cry too, like it always has, because it reminds me of how great of a person you were, Minato. And how you'll never be here to even speak to your son, not a single word, not even once.

"Naruto, I know you have issues with killing intent. I know you become scared when you're hit with it, I know you cry because you're so scared. But you _will_ work through it because that is where bravery comes from, and I know you are a brave young man. You can't be brave unless you are scared, Naruto. Fearlessness may sound like a good thing, but the truth is that fearlessness is just being foolhardy, stupid, and being unable to comprehend the danger. Bravery is being scared, but recognizing it and working through it to help the people who need you, Naruto."

I can't help it. I reach out and bring him back into my arms. "I need you to be brave tomorrow, Naruto. I need you to be brave because we all have to be or we're not going to succeed in this mission."

"You're scared too?" Naruto asks softly.

"I am," I reply. "But I've learned how to be brave, no matter what I am scared about . . . or who I am scared _for_."

"Mom, really tight, really tight!" Naruto groans.

"Sorry." I let go of him. I think it's time this conversation ended anyway.

"Now," I say, "Let's go and have some dinner. That's going to provide us with the energy to fight tomorrow."

I want to stroke his face. No, more than that. I want to stroke his face and kiss him and tell him I love him more than anything else in this world and hold him tightly the whole night. But I stop myself. I can't do it. If I do it, it'll make it seem like I'm expecting Naruto to die . . . or for _me_ to die. I won't do that to Naruto.

Or to myself.

"All right, sounds good," Naruto says, and he grunts as he gets to his feet. "Thanks for telling me about Dad . . . and about being brave."

"You're welcome." I get up with him. "I can tell you many of the things your father did if you wish to hear them. Just ask me sometime."

Naruto nods. "I will! Believe it!"

"All right then. Let's go."

I walk out of the room then, Naruto at my side.

I'm going to take my own advice tomorrow, Minato. I'll be brave too. For Naruto. I won't be able to fulfill my mission and protect our son if I'm afraid of Naruto being killed.

I just have to protect him the best I can. Protect him and Sasuke and Hinata and Fuu and whoever else is with Anko and I. They all deserve to make it through this mission alive. That's why I followed them here.

I did not come all this way for them to die here in the cold fighting for a lesser evil.

Minato, I know you'll understand this, but it's not time for you and I to reunite yet, and it's not time for Naruto to meet you either. That much is certain.

And I intend to keep it that way, because if that happens, that means I have failed you, whether by me dying, or by Naruto dying, or, worst of all, _both_. There's no way that's happening, whether now or on a future mission.

Count on it, my love.


	36. One-Battle War

Back to the usual posting schedule. We're finally making in-roads to my buffer. The time is coming soon that the posts will have to start slowing down.

But until then, let the good times roll.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Six: One-Battle War**

I woke up early in the morning, shaking and trembling from a nightmare I could not remember. I laid there for a while, letting Anko get up and move before I did, before finally deciding that I could not go back to sleep and needed to get moving. I'm an essential part of the plan too.

So I walk through the hallways, my eyelids feeling heavier than usual and a slight pressure in my head that feels like it _wants_ to be a headache but hasn't turned into one. After rounding a corner, I see Anko and Fuu peering through a door, curious looks in their eyes.

"Uh, what's going on?" I ask.

"It's Jiraiya. He came back," Fuu says. "He's snoring and mumbling stuff and I asked Anko to tell me what the heck he's saying."

"Really." I walk on over and peer through the doorway, and there is Jiraiya, curled up on a cot, drooling.

"He apparently came back here during the middle of last night," Anko says. "I dunno what it is he did, but it was involved and _exhausting_. And I think I saw blood on him too though he's not hurt."

"Wonderful. So Jiraiya went and picked a fight," I say.

That's when Jiraiya begins mumbling again, tossing back and forth on the cot.

"I think he's gonna say something again," Fuu says.

"No . . ." Jiraiya mumbles. "No, Kushina . . . I wasn't peeking . . . I swear to you!"

Oh. _That_ is what he's dreaming about? He thought the punishment I gave him a few days ago was overboard, well, wait until he feels what I'm gonna do to him now! He is going to get the famous Red-Hot Habanero going completely all out! This perverted old man is gonna be _so_ much toast!

Perhaps sensing that I'm going to basically pound Jiraiya through the floor, Anko grabs my shoulder. "Wait. I think this is getting good."

Jiraiya rolls around on the floor, out of his cot, whacking himself with his pillow. "Kushina! Wait! I can explain!"

"I think you're beating him up in his dream," Fuu says.

"Just wait until he wakes up. He doesn't know what 'beaten up' means," I growl.

That's when Jiraiya rolls his head into a table leg, and he cries out in pain. The exclamation point is that a flower pot was on the edge of the table, and it falls off and crashes on Jiraiya's head. "Gaaargh!" Jiraiya yells, holding his face as he rolls around.

Anko and Fuu both giggle. "Oh, that was _priceless_!" Anko says.

"I hear people laughing at my misery," Jiraiya moans.

"I'm not laughing," I say.

Jiraiya makes an "erk" noise and immediately sits back up, his pain seemingly forgotten as I enter the room.

"Having fantasies about me, eh?" I ask, cracking my knuckles.

Jiraiya audibly gulps. "Look, for the record, I can't control my subconscious. Also for the record, I did not imagine you naked, only _semi_-naked."

"Is that supposed to be an _improvement_?" I shout. Jiraiya's incredulous, perverted "sensibilities" apparently knows no bounds!

Jiraiya holds up his hands. "That did not come out right."

"You've dug yourself a pretty big hole, count on it," I say. "Maybe it's one that's six feet under, pervert!"

Jiraiya laughs nervously. "L-Look, Kushina, I did not see you in _any_ kind of compromised position! Total accident, even in my dream, and you did to me what you're clearly about to do to me now! Can we just move on from this?"

"I was ready to move on from this before I became the subject of your twisted-" I feel a hand grip my shoulder right as I wind up.

It's Anko. "Kushina, remember that Jiraiya's a necessary part of the plan. Beating on him is just going to piss Koyuki off and make everything a lot harder."

When _Anko_ is the voice of reason, I'm going way astray. And, unfortunately, she's right. I lower my arm and Jiraiya audibly sighs with relief. I know I would've felt guilty afterwards anyway. Jiraiya has no intention of defending himself if I were to strike him, whether because of our old friendship or because he feels guilty for not caring for Naruto directly.

This reminds me of our conversation from several days before, to be honest. Where he admitted he had far more involvement in Naruto's life, and my own life, while I was in exile than I ever thought. And Anko, whose life Jiraiya had dramatically altered with just a single suggestion sent through a genjutsu, is living proof of that.

Anko, an abusive girl teetering on violent madness gradually transformed into a maturing and caring sensei for my son and two other children. All because of a single suggestion reminding Anko of her conscience. I owe Jiraiya for this one. Anko and Naruto would not have bonded the way they have if it was not for Jiraiya intervening, because he does care about Naruto, even if he's scarcely met my son. He cares for my son because he cares for me.

Knowing this, I can't strike him. Even if he is a pervert.

"I understand," I say, forcing my hands to open and my arms to relax. "I'm fine, Anko. You don't need to say anything more."

"Aw, man!" Fuu groans. "I was thinkin' I was gonna see the pervy sage get a smackdown! Why'd ya have to do that, Anko?"

"Don't call me 'pervy sage'," Jiraiya groans.

"Why can't I? All of the kids are talkin' about ya as the 'pervy sage'!" Fuu laughs.

Jiraiya's eyes widen. He just flops upon the tangled remnants of his cot, moaning. "I've already lost the younger generation."

"Hey, if it means anything," Anko says with her signature goofy smile, "I _did_ ask you for an autograph of 'Make Out Paradise'. You can autograph my copy of 'Make Out Violence' if it makes you feel better."

"You own the _sequel_ to 'Make Out Paradise'?" I ask. I can't believe this. It's bad enough Anko owns the _first_ one!

"Yup," Anko says cheerfully. "Got it the day of release, I was hopin' to finish it on the way back to Konoha."  
"Looks like she's got a limited-edition hardcover," Jiraiya says as he sits back up, a proud expression on his face. "And, from what I've heard, 'Make Out Violence' is already entering its fourth printing. It's a bestseller!"

I fear for our literary future.

As Jiraiya signs Anko's copy of glorified erotica, I remember what Anko said earlier, while Jiraiya's fantasy dream turned into his nightmare. That Jiraiya had returned worn out, like he had been in a battle.

"Jiraiya," I say, as Jiraiya puts away his pen, "What did you do during the days you were away? I've heard you were in a battle."

Jiraiya's cheerful expression vanishes, but the smile stays. It's confident, reassuring. "I and my spy network decided to do some _precautionary_ measures to Doto Kazahana's transportation network and supply dumps. Let's put it this way, Doto Kazahana won't be conducting an invasion of _anybody_ any time soon."

The implication is clear. Anko realizes it too, her eyes widen. "You can't be serious," Anko says. "Did you _really_ attack Doto's army?"

"Just his supplies and locomotives," Jiraiya says. "The teppou doesn't work so well when there's no ammunition for it to fire. I destroyed the bulk of his teppou stockpile for good measure. My network promises they'll finish off most of the remaining teppou in short order."

What Jiraiya had done was nothing short of incredible. No wonder Koyuki had gone out of her way to hire this man. He had just ensured that Koyuki would have a fair shot at victory, going outside the mission parameters and annihilating so much of what gave Doto an advantage.

That's a sign of who Jiraiya is beyond his perversions. He looks out for people, whether friends or clients.

And if he sees an injustice he's going to correct it. He's just like Minato that way, which doesn't surprise me at all. Minato was one of Jiraiya's genin after all.

In a sad way, I kind of wish Jiraiya had stayed in Konoha long enough to train Anko Mitarashi so she wouldn't have fallen into Orochimaru's clutches. How everything would have been different for my son and Anko if Anko just had a different sensei.

As Anko and Fuu basically hem and haw at this exploit, I have one more question. "If you wiped out the locomotives, how did you come back so fast?"

"I left exactly one line running," Jiraiya says. "I needed to return here after all. I traveled on the one locomotive I allowed to survive, and when the time came to depart I made sure it would derail. Nothing is going to interfere with the battle now, and news will reach Doto and Koyuki any minute now of what my network and I have done. Doto will be expecting an attack. We need to prepare for the battle and finish him off while his forces panic."

All right. That makes sense. And Jiraiya's right as well. We don't have a lot of time to take advantage of this, not at all.

"I have to admit, you did something above and beyond, Jiraiya," I say. "Thanks."

Jiraiya chuckles. "I do my best for my clients. I just hope she's-"

Koyuki bursts into the room. "Where's Jiraiya?"

"He's right here," I say, stepping aside.

Koyuki runs forward and hugs Jiraiya.

I guess that's Jiraiya's answer right then and there.

* * *

"There's an old story about seven samurai who topple a lord to save a village. Well, you may be twice the amount of ninja at fourteen, but you are not trying to save a village. You are saving my army, and my land, and potentially everyone's land, by toppling an unjust ruler who should never have taken the throne," Koyuki says to us as we're outside the hotel that had been our home for the last few days.

Fourteen?" Fuu mumbles next to me. "There's the Oto ninja, the Kusa ninja, you, Jiraiya, and Anko's team . . ."

I get ready to put my hand over Fuu's mouth. It's gonna hit any second now-

"Hey! You left _me_ out, you-" I quickly silence Fuu and sit down with her.

"Let it go, Fuu. Let it go," I whisper softly. "Listen to your 'nakama'. Let her finish."

Fuu makes a growling sound, but after I take my hand off her mouth she just sighs. "Someday I _will_ turn into Choumei and eat her, I swear."

"I hope you're just joking," I say.

Meanwhile, Koyuki is still speaking like nothing of consequence ever happened. "My army will be marching very shortly, you ninja will likely only have an hour after insertion to accomplish your objectives before my army is ready for its assault. Just keep in mind that what you are fighting for is a world war that could irrevocably change the world for the worse. And that Doto Kazahana will have no reinforcements coming to save him, or have any realistic escape route once the assault begins. Get in there, accomplish your objectives, and the Land of Snow can finally live in peace."

Koyuki sighs. "Good luck, to all fourteen of you. Make you all live to survive this battle. It will be the only battle in this war, because the victor will unquestionably be the leader of the Land of Snow. Farewell, and I pray I will see all fourteen of you again."

As Koyuki turns, Fuu squirms out of my arms, growling at Koyuki. Thankfully, all Fuu does is flip Koyuki off before turning around in a huff and stomping away.

Koyuki gives Fuu one second of scorn before she turns away and heads back inside, presumably to prepare her army for the final battle. Now that I understand the source of Koyuki's hatred for Fuu, you would think I wouldn't be as mad towards Koyuki being so disdainful. But leaving Fuu off the list of ninja she has, basically saying it doesn't matter whether Fuu lives or dies? That takes scorn to a whole new level.

I can only imagine how Fuu feels about this one.

We're all wearing white for the moment. Jiraiya recommended it, saying that as we're not trying to act like civilians, it's best to stay camouflaged. It's odd to see my son in a color that's not orange, and I feel weird myself in my own camouflaged cloak and coat. We all look the same now, the only thing showing our allegiances are our forehead protectors. Even Fuu is wearing white, though I wouldn't be surprised if she had to steal the outfit if Koyuki doesn't consider her an official member of the mission.

As we head down the trail, walking uphill towards the direction of the fortress, Fuu quickly hangs back a-ways, walking with her hands in her pockets, seeming to kick the snow as much as step in it.

"Anko, I'm going to walk back and talk to Fuu. Let me know when we're in operational mode," I say.

Anko nods. "You got it. That wasn't exactly a classy thing Koyuki did at all."

"Ah, I bet she's leaving me out," Jiraiya says, surprisingly loudly. He probably intends for Fuu to hear this part. "After all, I'm a _sage_ and bestselling novelist. I probably don't count as a ninja in Koyuki's eyes!"

Fuu just kicks the snow harder after hearing that. I know Jiraiya's trying to help, but Fuu is just getting angry and that helps no one.

"Just let me talk to her," I say. "Just let me know when we're beginning the operation."

Anko nods. "We will. Go ahead."

I slow down then, falling behind the others, including my son. I'm not too concerned, _yet_. When we're beginning the operation, I know I'm going to watch Naruto _closely_. I can't help it. I have to make sure Naruto comes home too.

"I'm sorry," I say as I begin walking beside Fuu.

"Why does she hate me so much?" Fuu asks. "I never did anything to her. It ain't because I'm a jinchuuriki. She treats _you_ all nice and stuff."

"You remind Koyuki of someone from her past, someone she doesn't like very much, and Koyuki can't stand you because of that. It's not your fault," I say.

"She's a jerk," Fuu replies, her voice filled with bitterness. "It's bad enough she left me out of her stupid speech. But she basically told me she doesn't care if I come back alive too. I bet she _wants _me to die. It sucks, ya know that? Just because I remind her of somebody she wants me to die?"

She stomps on the snow with her boot. "_Dang it_!" Fuu cries.

She stomps on the snow multiple times, her eyes misting and shimmering. "I! Hate! Her! So! _Much_!"

"Calm down," I say, touching her shoulders gently and rub them.

"Ya expect me to-"

"Fuu, I don't like her either. I'm just telling you I understand. But it doesn't matter what Koyuki says or doesn't say. _I_ want you to come back from this mission alive. That's what counts."

Fuu turns to face me, each eye having a tear trickle out of them.

"I want you to live, Fuu. I want you to live so you can come back to Konoha and prepare to take the Chuunin Exam, and ideally you and Naruto can face off in the final round to prove who's the best ninja. And you know everyone here other than those dumb Oto ninja want you to live too," I say, wiping her tears with my gloved hands.

Fuu hugs me then, right on the spot. I stroke the back of her turquoise hair and let her cry.

Hell of a time to open up like this, but I'm not going to get angry at Fuu over it at all. She's thirteen years old and what Koyuki did pushed Fuu over the edge. And, honestly, whatever issues Koyuki had with her Fuu-like mother does not justify the scorn and verbal abuse Koyuki has levied towards Fuu.

It's not just Koyuki's scorn that's driving this though. I know Fuu was abandoned as a child by her parents and her life in Taki was anything but nice. What Koyuki said, or, rather, did _not_ say by excluding Fuu from everyone else has to be reminding Fuu of what people have said to her for her whole life.

"I . . . I wouldn't fight f-for her at _all_ . . . if y-you weren't, Ms. Uzumaki," Fuu says, her voice muffled as her face is still buried in my cloak. "I-I'm only fighting . . . 'cause you are."

"Would you rather head back if you don't want to fight?" I ask.

"No," Fuu looks up at me then, her face flushed and her orange eyes still watery. "I'd r-rather fight than stay one more _second_ at that stupid place with her!"

I see. Hearing this just makes my heart feel heavy. I know Fuu doesn't mean it but she makes me feel like I'm dragging her into this war. Now I need to protect her more than ever.

"I understand," I say. "But if you're going to fight, you need to be strong, Fuu, okay? You're part of the mission too if you're with us."

"R-Right," Fuu manages, wiping her eyes. "S-Sorry."

"Don't be," I say. "You have nothing to apologize for, Fuu. None of this is your fault. None of it."

Fuu smiles sadly. "It's kinda weird . . . to be told that I'm not to blame for somethin'."

Poor girl. If the scorn she's felt for her whole life has been just like the scorn I've felt from Konoha since I returned, I can imagine how many nights she spent alone, crying and despairing. It would have been worse for Fuu because she grew up with such hatred, not like me who was a full-grown adult knowing what I was walking into. And even I cry sometimes, despite having a son and a few friends.

"Well, you're not, Fuu. You're truly not. Remember, I am your 'nakama'. If you're not to blame for something, I'll tell you."

"Right," Fuu says, wiping her eyes a final time and sniffing. "Right. You're right."

"Are you okay? Are you ready to do the mission, Fuu?"

"Yeah, I am. I mean it, Ms. Uzumaki."

"All right. Now let's go. And I'll make sure Koyuki acknowledges you when we come back. Count on it."

Fuu smiles. "Thank you."

That's the kind of trusting smile I don't see often anymore. But Fuu considers me her _nakama_, or "true companion". Someone closer than a friend, the closest someone like me can become without being her family. That is a privilege to be considered that, even by a girl who probably doesn't fully comprehend how much connotations are in the term.

"Nakama" is a word not used often in the ninja villages, our natural paranoia tends to view the word as a type of naive weakness, particularly if it's with someone from a different village. But Fuu doesn't know that. How would she?

Maybe she'll be the first to help dispel the negative meanings behind the word so it'll fall into common usage in the ninja villages. It's a word still used in civilian villages and cities. Maybe it'll be a sign of how far we've come if "nakama" is used among us ninja someday.

I'm probably just being heady or being excessively idealistic. But I can't help it. This girl makes me feel this way, just by being herself.

In that sense, I can consider her "nakama" too.

* * *

The moment we saw the fortress, we got off the trail and went right into the forest. Jiraiya told us to not do any tree-running, that moving swiftly isn't of the essence yet. The countdown to the assault doesn't start until after we've infiltrated the fortress. Jiraiya and the jonin are in the front, with the genin taking up the rear. Paranoid, Ryuuzetsu and her Kusa genin take up the rear, watching the Oto ninja closely in case they try anything.

Guren chuckles softly as we stumble upon an outpost. "And here is our first little problem. This isn't the outpost marked on my map."

It's just a small tower. The problem are the patrols, that and they seem to have teppou-wielding ashigaru on the top of the tower, ready to shoot at anyone.

If those were crossbows the ashigaru were wielding, this would be a lot simpler. But teppou make so much _noise_. A single gunshot and this mission is blown.

"Way I see it," Anko says, "We need to move quick and take 'em all out before a single teppou goes off. How many of 'em are there?"

"Five," Haijime Kuroishi, the Kusa jonin, says. "Three on the tower, two of 'em walking together around the front, it's pretty easy to see 'em. There's at least fifteen ashigaru in total."

"Are we gonna do somethin'?" Naruto asks from behind us.

"No, and pipe down," Guren hisses.

I watch the patrol. We're all hidden behind bushes and tree trunks. The tower is just a little bit above us, meant to have a clear view of anyone approaching. It looks exceptionally difficult to try to traverse from one of the sides without making noise and setting off the alarm that way.

"We're gonna have to take them out," I say. "Guren, your crystal techniques. Can you trap anyone inside crystal or anything like that?"

Guren smiles. "Yes, I can. I call it my Crystal Prison."

She makes a hand sign to focus her chakra. "Who's the fastest jonin here?"

Jiraiya looks at me. "Probably Kushina and Anko here. I'm not as fast as I used to be, and Haijime, you look more like you're built for strength than speed."

"Guilty as charged," Haijime says.

"All right. I liked what I saw with that Sasuke kid, he looks pretty quick, you bring him with too. And Ryuuzetsu looks like the most experienced genin of them all. You four go in and neutralize all of the ashigaru who don't have teppou," Guren says.

"I find it curious you're not bringing your own genin into this," Anko says.

"They use _sound_ as a weapon," Guren says in a condescending tone. "We're trying to make as little noise as possible, remember?"

Anko has a comeback ready for that. "Seems counter-productive as _ninja_ to be noisy, don't you think?"

"Ninja in the traditional sense like we're doing, yes," Guren says. "But ninja haven't been working in the so-called 'traditional' sense for years. Possibly even a century. I don't even know why we use that word anymore for what ninja once were, to be honest. We've made new traditions and they've taken over."

For a woman from an unknown village who I wouldn't trust with a single flower in my memorial garden, much less as a partner on this mission, she has a point about that.

"Philosophize later," Jiraiya says. "You've been focusing your chakra for a long time."

"Get Ryuuzetsu and Sasuke up here and I'll attack," Guren says. "I've got all five of the teppou-armed ashigaru lined up."

"Damn it," Anko growls. She looks back to Sasuke, and then to me.

"I'll make sure Sasuke doesn't have a target," I promise in a soft whisper.

"Please. He's not ready," Anko whispers back, and then looks around and motions at Sasuke.

I look back at Sasuke. He's only twelve years old, and if I don't keep my promise he will likely kill somebody in the next few seconds. Is he ready for that? Ryuuzetsu, who is dutifully crawling up to Anko's and my position in the bushes, has the look of someone who's killed. She's accepted it and is ready for it. But Sasuke . . . now, more than ever, he just looks like a twelve-year-old boy not knowing what he's in for.

But, without a word, he comes up to us, crouching behind a tree to my left, while Ryuuzetsu positions herself to Anko's right.

"All right. Line up your targets. The moment the crystals form, attack," Guren says. "Jiraiya, Haijime, and I will clean up anyone you four miss."

I reach into my holster and pull out a pair of kunai. "Ready," I say.

I was hoping to make it to the castle without having to kill. Those poor men in this outpost. Fifteen, sixteen of them, about to die because they are _in our way_. It's not fair. They have family and friends too.

But I have my son and a couple of friends here with me. And it's either the ashigaru or them.

I have to choose the ashigaru I do not know. That's the choice I have to make when it's war.

And Anko thinks Sasuke is not ready to kill, and I just volunteered to take on his burden. I take a look at the closest ashigaru to Sasuke. I'll have to be _really_ fast to dispatch them as well as my more logical targets.

I brace myself, and my knees and calves ache with both anticipation and weariness from being kept in a cramped position. I block out all other thoughts. Just end this. End this as quickly as possible.

Guren whispers "Crystal Style. Crystal Prison."

All of a sudden, the crystals shoot out among all five teppou-armed ashigaru, surrounding them and encasing them in pink crystal in an instant. Seeing that, I spring from the bushes, running at a full-on sprint. I see three targets, each of whom I can eliminate in rapid succession as I charge up to the tower.

The first one barely turns around in time to see me before my left kunai is at his throat.

I slice through his throat so quickly it's like I've cut a slice of bread. I don't stop. I don't focus on him. I know I've killed him. I look towards the man to the left, who is Sasuke's first logical target. I pivot and leap into the air, landing behind him, and cut his throat from behind as well. I beat Sasuke to him by two steps.

Without a moment's relaxation, I reset my kunais' positions in my hands and charge, leaping high into the air to the top of the hill, to see Anko and Ryuuzetsu already at the top.

I chuck my kunai at two men I've landed in-between, hitting them both in their foreheads, penetrating their skulls and killing them. I draw a shuriken from my holster and throw it at a third target that Sasuke seemed to be heading towards. He's down.

Five. I've killed five men.

No, focus. Focus. Worry about that later.

It looks like Anko and Ryuuzetsu have dispatched the others, and as I hear Guren, Jiraiya, and Haijime all land as they join the hill. Haijime runs to the outpost door and kicks it down, and he throws a single kunai and there's a masculine grunt of pain. Then Haijime runs inside, but there's no further shouts or signs of resistance.

It's over. Just like that.

Five men. They had families. Parents. Perhaps they have children of their own. They're all dead because of me.

There is just something undeniably _wrong_ with what I'm doing.

I hear crystals crack and shatter in the distance, and I hear Guren sigh with relief. "Well, that's that."

Yeah, sure, Guren. You speak of killing so casually. I can't think of it that way. I just can't.

Anko has her hands on Sasuke's shoulders, whispering him something. Probably telling him what she requested me to do. Sasuke just looks down, a melancholy expression on his face. His eyes briefly look at me, then look back down, no anger, just the continued melancholy.

Finally, Anko gives Sasuke a brief hug and then separates from him, looking towards Jiraiya. "The sooner we're out of here the better, Jiraiya."

"I know. Like it or not, though, we just started our own countdown. They'll be expecting these guys to report in, probably soon," Jiraiya says.

That's true. I don't want to linger here either, though it's because of the bodies everywhere. I hope Naruto doesn't come up here. Or Fuu.

I walk among the bodies on this hill that's part of this mountain and grab the two kunai and the one shuriken I threw. There I see Naruto, Fuu, Hinata, and the young Kusa genin all at the base, looking up at me.

So young. They're _children_. This just isn't right.

I motion them to go _around_ to the right, it's a smoother climb and there's not as many bodies that way. I know this is foolish, that I'm going to have to kill again, but I can't help it. They're _children_. This whole mission just feels _off_ to me. It's not the kind of mission you have children do at all.

Damn it, Koyuki. You're such a cruel person, exposing children to war just so you can have your precious jonin here to fight for you. Who does this to children just as a means to an end?

I'll kill Doto Kazahana for you because he's even worse, but you can forget about Konoha having anything to do with you after this mission is over. Whatever Anko and Jiraiya may think, if they want an agreement with you I'll just sabotage it. You haven't seen the Red-Hot Habanero yet, Koyuki. If I have to I will be her again, just to make sure Konoha has nothing to do with you.

But you want to know the kicker, Koyuki? The final nail in your coffin? Your treatment of Fuu, the child who considers me her "nakama". Your apathy and hatred towards her for no fault of Fuu's shows how shallow and petty you truly are.

As Fuu's true companion, as a mother to a young man who should not have to see war so soon, as someone you callously manipulated to serve your own ends, as someone who sees people die for you to serve your selfish cause, as a fair-minded person . . .

I want Konoha to have nothing to do with you.

That will be my own one-battle war after this one is finished.

I swear it on my life, Koyuki.

I do solemnly swear.


	37. Prelude to Showdown

Exwindzz: I thought about doing that but decided there was too much going on to fit that in.

dracoholo117: I apologize for taking so long to show Kushina going all-out. But she's going to kick some serious ass in the next couple of chapters.

Trubeque: We'll find out soon, won't we? :p

Riku_Uzumaki: Yes . . . there is, isn't there? I like doing stuff like that, people having differing but parallel agendas.:)

Anyway . . . this chapter is going up early again for personal reasons.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Seven: Prelude to Showdown**

_Kushina Uzumaki_

It takes fifteen minutes before we stumble upon another outpost. Guren and Jiraiya both consult the map again, while the rest of us take cover the best we can. It looks just like the outpost we just attacked, except there seems to be concrete or something on the tower itself. It's more permanent.

I look over at Hinata, who seems to be the most winded out of everyone. "You okay?"

Hinata looks at me in surprise, then nods her head. "Y-Yes, Ms. Uzumaki."

"Your injuries from a few days ago acting up?" Anko asks.

Hinata looks down. "A little."

Naruto scoffs. "Those Sound ninja are getting on my nerves. They hurt Hinata pretty bad and they think they can just strut around-"

"Naruto, volume," Anko hushes.

Naruto makes a growling sound and finally sighs, looking away.

"W-We shouldn't fight with them," Hinata says. "They're not our enemies anymore, right?"

"That don't mean we don't gotta watch 'em close," Naruto growls.

Zaku, the boy with dark, spiky hair, smiles in a smug way not unlike his sensei. "I'm watchin' you even closer, _boy_. I want revenge for my ass."

Anko chuckles. "Good luck. That's a technique passed down from my-"

"It's not a technique, it's just stupid," the Oto girl, Kin, growls.

Anko leans in real close to Kin. _Real_ close. Mere inches separate them. "I _was_ going to say it was passed down from Kakashi Hatake. I am sure he's in your Oto bingo books. Look him up."

Kin's eyes widen. "Kakashi . . . Hatake?"

Dosu, the tall boy covered in bandages, grabs both Zaku and Kin and pulls them both away. "Now's not the time to start fighting. Our sensei says we're on the same side, and I don't want to die because of squabbling."

Zaku scoffs. "We're only on the same side 'til this mission's over."

"Regardless, fighting among ourselves will get us killed. There will be a time and place to get vengeance," Dosu says. "Now's not the time."

"Nice to see you mature some, Dosu," Guren says as she crawls over to us. "Now, we need to get down to business here."

She eyes Hinata, who seems to shrink away. Naruto and Sasuke, who's been silent up until this point, both subtly position themselves in front of her. It's clear they view Hinata as someone to be protected. It's at least nice to see that Naruto and Sasuke have formed a bond of some kind, even though the circumstances they're displaying it are less than ideal.

"Look, girl, it's nothing personal. I was just trying to end the battle when my genin went down. I've got nothing against you, so stop cowering like a beaten dog," Guren says calmly.

"Take that back," Naruto growls.

Guren shakes her head and smiles in that smug way again. "It's the truth, boy. She's never going to get stronger with you two boys protecting her."

"We protect each other," Sasuke replies. "No one is expendable."

Guren sighs, and then she looks at Anko and I. "Look, just to prove I'm not out to get you killed, I'm going to go expose myself to that outpost. If anyone dies it's gonna be _me_. But judging by the map, this _is_ the right outpost."

She crawls past us then, and then gets up and walks out into the open. Immediately, the outpost's ashigaru spin towards her, and Guren holds up her hands.

"My name is Guren and I am from Oto! I bring with me a party of ninja sent by Koyuki Fujikaze, the rightful ruler of the Land of Snow! I was told that this outpost hides a way under Doto Kazahana's fortress!" Guren shouts.

Pause. And then one of the ashigaru yells "We were told you would be arriving soon! We're coming down towards you now! Hurry, we don't have a lot of time!"

Guren turns us and smiles. "All right, let's go."

I wait. I wait for a sign of betrayal or those teppou going off and Guren collapsing or dying. But nothing happens, even as the ashigaru run closer to her. I actually can bring myself to believe that these ashigaru are on our side.

So slowly, I reveal myself, motioning for the others to stay back. I watch all of the ashigaru closely. The moment one of them does something I don't like, I'm attacking. Just because this is the "right" outpost doesn't mean it hasn't been compromised by Doto Kazahana.

But as I walk up to Guren, nothing happens. I force myself to relax. All right. This part of the phase _is_ going according to plan then.

I motion for everyone else to come out, and I turn to one of the ashigaru. "We need to hurry. We had to take out the southwest outpost in order to get here."

"I'll send a couple of men over to make sure that outpost keeps talking to the fortress," a middle-aged man completely wrapped in white says. Judging by the badges on his shoulders, he is likely the commanding officer. "And you're right, we do need to hurry. I'll be sending Princess Koyuki the word that you've arrived as soon as possible."

"Thank you. Now take us to the fortress."

* * *

The outpost turns out to be as advertised. It has a tunnel hidden that leads directly to the sewer system underneath the fortress. The commanding officer, a man named Daishiro, explains to us the general situation as we walk through the tunnel.

"Doto Kazahana's army at the border is in a total panic, and there's apparently no way for him to quickly resupply those droves, not with the tracks and most of the locomotives disabled. It was apparently done so fast and so thorough that Doto's become highly paranoid about enemy ninja being hired by Koyuki."

"How paranoid?" Anko asks.

"The fortress is on high alert, and I would expect the alarm to go off fairly soon after you infiltrate. One of you _will_ be spotted eventually. There's no _if_ here, Doto Kazahana's patrol patterns are too irregular and numerous to avoid," Daishiro replies.

"So, what we need to do is execute the mission as quickly as possible before they're onto us," Jiraiya says.

"That sounds about right," Daishiro replies.

This mission is absolutely lovely. The stakes are getting higher, which means the risks are becoming worse too. It could take very little for one of us to screw up and sound the alarm, which could get all of us killed.

"Any ninja we have to worry about besides Nadare and his people?" Haijime asks.

Guren chuckles. "I can answer this one. Quite a few. Doto was getting really paranoid about Koyuki and he hired ninja, from Kiri, Kumo, Iwa, and even as far away as Ame. We're talking some missing-nin too, not just regulars. He was still hiring ninja when my team and I departed to assassinate Koyuki before it all went wrong and we changed sides. Mostly chuunin, though."

"All right, we can handle chuunin," Anko says.

We reach the end of the tunnel, and Daishiro opens a hatch of some kind, to a dimly-lit, oddly spacious sewer where the sound of running water is close to deafening.

Even though we're not out there yet, Jiraiya has to raise his voice so we can hear him. "This is where we part ways! I'm going on my own! Everyone else, take a good look at the map of the sewer systems to find where you need to go and _move_!"

Oh no. I'm not letting Jiraiya go so easily. "Where are _you_ going?"

Jiraiya turns to me and gives me this big smile. "Off causing trouble. You know me."

Typical answer from typical Jiraiya. "All right," I say reluctantly. There's nothing I'll be able to do to make him change his mind, anyway. Jiraiya's not going to do anything _too_ foolhardy, as long as it doesn't involve being perverted.

Jiraiya gives us all a casual salute that doesn't seem to have any meaning. "My distraction will do its job. Just concentrate on your own objectives. Just assume any alarm being raised is because of me and don't worry about it until you finish your objectives, okay? See you all later!"

Jiraiya vanishes into the sewer then, and Guren, Haijime, Anko, and I along with Daishiro glance at the map.

"Lemme see, lemme see," Naruto says as he tries to look over our shoulders.

"I wanna see too!" Fuu growls, pushing Naruto away.

Sasuke and Ryuuzetsu, as if in unison, walk up to both genin and drag them away. Sasuke and Ryuuzetsu stare at each other, smile at each other sheepishly, before looking away. Something tells me there's more to those embarrassed little grins than there seems. Or maybe it's just me.

"Looks pretty clear cut," Anko says after a moment. "My team is heading to the right and basically making a beeline right for Doto. You guys have the maze, so you should keep the map."

"Sounds good to me," Haijime says. "I assume your team is going to depart first, then."

"Yeah. Sounds about right." Anko looks at me. "You agree, Kushina?"

"Yes, I do." I look back towards Fuu, who's standing by Ryuuzetsu and looking a bit grouchy. "Fuu, you're with us. Let's get going."

Fuu's eyes light up. "Right with ya, Ms. Uzumaki!"

I nod at her and look back at Anko. "We're all set."

"All right," Anko says. "My team, we're leaving _now_. Let's hurry!"

Anko goes through the hatch, and I let Sasuke and Hinata pass before I crawl through as well. I force myself to ignore the disgusting odor of this sewer, in spite of how well-maintained it looks. Sewers are sewers. They'll _always_ smell disgusting, but I don't have any plans to stay down here for long.

I just hope we're not walking into a trap. This mission has been running smoothly so far. A bit _too_ smooth for my liking, but it could just be me being paranoid.

Naruto and Fuu bring up the rear, which is how I would prefer it. I can protect them both easier this way. I move up to run alongside Anko as we sprint through the sewer system, making sure _all_ of the genin are behind me. If something happens, I'm just going to plow right through whatever's in our way. Hopefully the genin won't have to fight at all.

Then they can go back to Konoha and get normal C-ranks like everyone else. Progress like they should, not thrown into a clear A-rank situation where they could die so easily.

Genin don't even do B-ranks normally. This mission is just above and beyond what is expected of genin. How lucky am I to be here to make sure they'll be okay?

How lucky are the genin?

And what kind of luck is it?

We're already exiting the sewers. I guess it's time I find out.

* * *

After exiting the sewers, we're a lot quieter, and a lot more deliberate in our movements. Well, other than the two guards who were watching the sewer exit and Anko and I had to knock out and hide in the sewer system itself. "Shouldn't we just kill them?" Anko asks.

"I've killed five people already today, I'm not going to kill anyone else other than Doto Kazahana and perhaps Nadare Roga if I can help it," I reply. "Besides, they won't wake up for at least a couple of hours. This mission will be over in _less_ than an hour."

Anko smiles. "If you flipped around what you just said you'd sound less naive."

"Then call me naive," I say, returning that knowing little smile. "I don't want to kill more people for Koyuki's sake than I have to."

Anko sighs. "Yeah, she gets on my nerves too."

She's gotten on my nerves and then some, Anko. I don't like her. She doesn't strike me as being much better than the man we've been ordered to kill. She lacks empathy. That's what Koyuki is missing. Empathy for people, whether ally or enemy. People are just pawns to her, people exist for her to command, manipulate, and destroy. She has no feelings for those under her sway, and if you're above her sway, she will do everything she can to put you on your knees or simply eliminate you.

You know what I feel like, Anko? That we've chosen to side with a sociopath against a psychopath. I am sure I'm exaggerating Koyuki's faults because she angers me so much, but that's what it seems to me.

Argh, why am I even thinking about this right now? We need to keep moving. And I need to concentrate.

"Just follow me. We need to make it to the second floor and the sleeping quarters. Not that Doto Kazahana is sleeping there in the late afternoon, but the throne room and dining hall is on the second floor too. That sounds like the most likely spot for Doto to be for me."

Anko nods. "That's what I was thinking." She motions to the genin to follow, and we sprint through the hallways.

There's four ashigaru who get in our way. They can't even shout in time before Anko and I knock all four of them out. The second one I dispatch is slammed into the concrete so hard he probably has a concussion. We let the genin hide the unconscious bodies as we take a look up the stairs.

Anko yanks out a senbon. "Guard on the stairs. I got him, you catch the body before he makes too much noise."

"Gotcha," I whisper back.

Anko leans out and throws the senbon into the guard's neck. I quickly run up and catch him before he and his armor can make any noise falling down the stairs.

There's pressure points in the neck that can essentially paralyze a body down to its most basic functions. Essentially it's as close to dying as you can get without actually dying. It helps that the neck doesn't have much muscle no matter how strong you get physically, so the pressure points are easy to hit if you're skilled with senbon.

I carry the man down, and see Sasuke and Fuu standing there, both looking tired. I hand the guard to Sasuke and Fuu, and Fuu gives me a weird look. "Stop attacking people already," she moans.

"Just hide him in a storage closet or something. He's going to be down for hours," I say.

Sasuke and Fuu take the guard away, and Naruto and Hinata re-join us. "Anko and I will keep leading the way. We think Doto Kazahana is most likely up on the second floor in the royal dining hall which is also the throne room. It'd be the most secure place in the whole fortress, and the most difficult place to assassinate somebody."

Naruto and Hinata both nod, but Hinata is highly tentative, she's shaking.

I place my hand on her shoulder and Hinata flinches a bit. "It's all right. This has been going okay so far. We'll be done before you know it."

"A-All right, Ms. Uzumaki," Hinata says.

As Hinata answers, Sasuke and Fuu rejoin us as well. Anko nods towards me. "Let's go."

We head up the stairs deliberately and cautiously, and we hear a man's voice. "Hey, Momotaro! Where are ya, aren't you supposed to be-"

Anko yanks out a senbon and leans out and I lean out just in time to see the guard get hit in the neck at the top of the stairs. I sprint up and catch him as he falls.

"I think they're starting to catch on to us," Anko grumbles.

"Then we're running out of time," I reply. "It's only a matter of time before they sound the alarm."

"Either that or until Haijime's team gets the gate open," Anko replies.

"Which will sound the alarm anyway," I add.

"I don't want to hear about any stinkin' alarms," Naruto grumbles. "Let's just keep going! My body doesn't want to stop moving!"

"It's an adrenaline rush, Naruto, get control of it," I reply. "If you don't you could wind up in serious trouble."

"All right," Naruto breathes. "All right."

We walk up the stairs to see no one else in the hallway, but I can hear voices to my left. "Why the hell are we getting involved in this family spat?"

That gruff voice sounds familiar, for some odd reason. I hand the guard's body to Anko. "I'm going to move on ahead. Just find a place to stash this guy."

"What? You can't be serious, wait!" Anko hisses, but I've already handed her the unconscious body and started moving towards the voices.

"We're getting paid, that's why we're getting involved in this 'family spat'," says a woman's voice. She sounds deep and throaty. _Really_ familiar.

I get closer, and then I see them, right by a balcony.

Not _you_ three again.

Hisame, Murasame, and Kirisame. Out of _all_ of the ninja in the world, why you three again?

Wait. Wait! They've clearly been hired by Doto to protect him. So they have to know where he is! And their guards are clearly lax, they're standing in such a way that I can take out Murasame and Kirisame without Hisame even noticing!

Murasame will go down first. Then five steps up towards the balcony and I'll take out Kirisame. Then I'll interrogate Hisame and find out where Doto is!

Foolproof, as long as they don't turn around.

I get right behind Murasame as he continues talking. "I don't like what I've been hearing, Hisame. It sounds like this stupid daughter's hired herself an army."

Now!

"I'm not worried about that, if we have to we'll just hide out until the carnage is over," Hisame says, still gazing out the balcony like she thinks she's some princess.

Meanwhile, as she does that, I grab Murasame and knock him out before he can say or even grunt anything.

As I dump the body, I realize I got Kirisame's attention. He's turning around, looking at my direction. "What was that?"

I spring out, grab Kirisame, knee him in the stomach, and then club him over the head and send him falling down the short flight of the stairs.

"Kirisame? What's going on?" Hisame asks as she turns around. Then she sees me and gasps, her eyes widening in fear.

I truly do intimidate her. I can use this to my advantage. I put on the darkest, most knowing smile I know just for emphasis. "Small world, ain't it, Hisame?"

"Oh crap, not _you_ again," Hisame moans as she tries to set up a technique, but I charge right up to her and grab her.

I draw a kunai and put it right by her neck. "Say or do anything I don't like and this goes right into your throat and I'll throw you over the balcony."

I look down. It looks like this part of the castle is right over the side of the mountain. That'll be a fall of several thousand feet.

"I don't think you'll enjoy that very much," I add.

"D-Don't kill me . . ." Hisame begs softly.

"Then tell me what I _need_ to hear. Where's Doto Kazahana?"

"T-Throne room," Hisame says. "H-He knows Princess Koyuki is sending ninja, though. You'll be walking into a trap."

This explains how easy this mission has been so far. Doto probably withdrew most of the fortress guards and what ninja he has to the most vulnerable parts of the fortress, likely the main gate and Doto himself. "So why are you here and not with Doto?"

"I wanted to speak with my manmeat privately, got a problem with that?" Hisame replies.

She's not lying. I can hear it in her voice. No ulterior agendas going on here.

"All right. Then you get to join your 'manmeat' in nap time," I say, and I knock her out.

My hands are getting sore from all of the blows to the head I've been doing. Good thing this mission is almost over, then.

I carry Hisame down the stairs where Anko and the others are waiting. Anko gives me a weird look. "You have a history with these guys?"

"Yeah. I've been bumping into them on and off since the mission in the Waterfall Village," I reply.

"Yeah, they're losers," Fuu chimes in.

"Nice to know," Anko says as she takes Hisame from me. "You seemed to be interrogating the woman here, anything I should know?"

"Yeah," I say. "We're walking into a trap. Doto's expecting ninja to come and kill him, he's waiting in the throne room, probably with Nadare Roga and his people."

Anko's eyes widen, and then she sighs. "Go figure. I had a feeling this had been a bit too easy."

Suddenly, a loud ringing sound erupts in our ears. "Damn it!" Anko yells, briefly covering her ears.

"What is that?" Naruto cries.

"We've been compromised," I reply. "Anko, now or never. Do we go after Doto or do we pull back?"

"Unh . . ." Anko looks at her genin, and back to me. "We keep going! If it gets too hot we can still retreat!"

I had a feeling Anko would say that. "Then follow me! No more stealth, we just plow through them!"

I take off at a sprint. I have no intention of making the genin fight. I flow the chakra through my body, augmenting my speed and strength so every step I take is a precise movement timed for maximum efficency.

There, as I round the corner. Guards.

I draw shuriken. I really wish I could leave these people alive. This is just such a _useless_ war. But I'm not going to let any of these people touch the genin with me either! Especially Fuu and my son!

I throw shuriken at the first two ashigaru, hitting one in the neck and the other in the forehead. One of the others have a teppou, and he's aiming at me!

Then a shuriken goes through _his_ head. Anko reacted quickly enough to back me up. Good.

The enemies pass in and out of my memory as I zig-zag through them, jumping off of the floor, the walls, or the ceiling, using my chakra to get perfect placement and to enhance my sprinting and jumping. I aim my kunai for the ashigaru's necks if possible, failing that I just try to slash them. I can't stop moving. The moment I stop I'm a mark.

You know what, forget this! They know I'm here anyway!

"Wind Style!" I shout as I send chakra through my lungs. "Air Bullets Technique!"

Twelve bullets. Twelve people down.

I run towards the grand double doors and push chakra through my right foot. I'm going to kick the blasted door down before they can barricade it!

_Crack_.

I don't knock the door off its hinges but I do kick it open. And there, at the far end, I see a chair seeming to be made of gold, with red cushions, and a lone man sitting on top of that throne.

A handsome man about my age with long dark hair . . . and even from this distance I can see the family resemblance to Koyuki.

"Doto Kazahana!" I shout as I enter the room, marching towards him.

The man gets up from his throne. "You must be the ninja my daughter hired to kill me. You must be S-rank from the looks of you, I didn't know she had enough funds to afford that."

I hear everyone else coming in behind me. "Stay back!" I shout. "Remember?"

I'm hoping they'll realize that Hisame just told us that Doto Kazahana has a trap of some kind waiting. I've exposed myself to it, whatever it is. I don't want Anko, Naruto, and everyone else to get caught in it too.

"Mom!" Naruto shouts but Anko puts her arm in front of him and holds him back.

"Just stay back, all of you," I order. I look back towards Doto, who is slowly stepping down the small staircase from the throne.

I put my kunai away and ready my left hand. Whatever's coming my way, I have the Teleportation Barrier ready. And I have a place to teleport whatever brazen assault Doto may have planned, the ravine I just saw when I interrogated Hisame! Whatever his trap is, it won't work, just as long as the others don't expose themselves in this room!

Doto stops on the final stair. "May I ask you your name, ninja?"

"Kushina Uzumaki, of the Village Hidden in the Leaves," I say. "I have been given the task to kill you, Doto."

"Uzumaki?" Doto stares at me for a second. Then he chuckles. "This is just too rich. No wonder Koyuki hired an S-rank such as you! You want revenge for Uzushio, don't you?"

"Don't patronize me!" I shout back, taking one more step forward towards him. "I am here because of people I care about! Revenge is not what I'm here for!"

"I suppose that's a logical explanation, I did hear that young boy just call you 'mom'," Doto replies.

I'm not going to take his bait. He's trying to find some way, any way, to rile me up. He's like Koyuki that way, intentionally pissing people off to force them to make mistakes.

I take another step forward. I'm unsure of how close I can get to him. There's the possibility that the trap may be aimed at Anko and the others, right at the entrance, bypassing me completely. I need to be close enough to get back and activate the barrier.

Just keep your cool. That's what you need to do. And _listen_. Doto's trap could hit any second now-

A large explosion from outside. Even in here it sounds deafening.

Doto just sighs. "Sounds like you managed to hit my supply dump."

Jiraiya. That must be the "trouble" he was talking about. He just blew the ammunition for Doto's teppou up!

He looks at me. "Why are you so tentative? You are an S-rank. I am not even a ninja! What are you scared of, Kushina Uzumaki? That I might harm your poor little boy at the entrance? Turn him into a casualty of war?"

"I am scared of many things, you're right! But I work through my fear! That's what ninja do!"

"Then come at me!" Doto shouts.

"I am also not stupid enough to take your bait!" I shout back. "I know you have a trap of some kind set for us, Doto! I'm not going to walk into it!"

Doto chuckles. "_What_ trap, Kushina Uzumaki? After all, it's just you and me and my _guards_!"

He shouts the last word at the top of his lungs, and suddenly I see around a hundred men, all armed with the teppou, charge into the room and aim right at me and everyone else.

"Damn it! I _knew_ he was gonna say that!" Anko growls from behind me.

"Fuu, I need you to move up! Hurry!" I shout.

"What? Why me?" Fuu cries.

"Just trust me," I say. "I am your 'nakama', remember?"

I have a counter planned for these hundred men armed with this cruel, loud weapon. But Fuu is the only person who can counter it and allow us to charge right through them. I just need her to trust me. She has to know what I have planned. She has to.

I hear footsteps from behind me, moving slowly, cautiously. "I-I'm right here, Ms. Uzumaki!"

"Good. Just wait for my signal!" I order.

"Good luck on making that signal, Kushina Uzumaki!" Doto shouts. "_Fire_!"

A split second. That's all I have. If I'm too slow we all die.

I stretch my left hand in front of me just as I see the ashigaru pull the triggers. This is it. We all die here, or I save everyone.

This will decide the fate of the Land of Snow. Right here.

Right _now_!

"Ninja Art! Teleportation Barrier!" I scream, and my left hand begins glowing to form the deep purple barrier.

I hear the flintlocks of the teppou smash all at once and loud _cracks_ erupt in front of me like so many nearby yet mechanically _tinny_ thunderclaps.

I'm about to find out who was faster, me, or Doto's army.

The result will decide who lives and who dies, once and for all.

* * *

Yes, I'm using the evil cliffhanger no jutsu. Had to happen eventually.


	38. Pursuit

Kushina Uzumaki is an S-ranked jonin. I know people don't really believe it, but the below should put any misconceptions to rest, I think.

Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Eight: Pursuit**

_Kushina Uzumaki_

The glow of the Teleportation Barrier engulfs the scene in front of me as I hear the teppou go off as one. I can feel the bullets enter the barrier, and I peer behind me. Anko's shielded her team from any stray bullets that could've snuck through, and Fuu just stands there to my left, staring in awe at my barrier.

"Fuu," I say. "Can you hit them with your Scaled Sneak Technique? If you can't, hit the center and I'll take care of the rest!"

Fuu's eyes widen. "Ohh."

"Hurry, before they reload," I say.

"You got it, Ms. Uzumaki!" Fuu shouts.

With my left hand, I make the barrier vanish and I envision the ravine I had seen just minutes before when I had been interrogating Hisame. I sense the barrier reappearing in the ravine, and I sigh with relief. Not a single bullet got through.

Fuu darts in front of me, running at top speed. "Secret Tradition! Scaled Sneak Technique!"

I see the powder erupt from her mouth. She's giving it everything she has, but she's not going to hit the flanks. The room is just too big for Fuu to hit _everyone_ with the powder. But I can hear the ashigaru scream in pain as they're presumably blinded by the powder, and, just above and beyond the powder's reach, I see Doto Kazahana, staring at me in what seems to be a combination of surprise and indignation.

He's going to be a whole lot more than surprised and indignant in the next twenty seconds.

He'll be _dead_.

I charge forward, using my chakra in my legs to suddenly leap high into the air, above Fuu and right above the center of the line of ashigaru.

I make a couple of hand signs, the bird and the ram. I need to activate this technique in a _different_ way than usual.

"Chakra Chains Barrier: Expansion!"

My chains form and I create a tiny barrier around myself just as I land among the ashigaru and the beautiful, glowing powder. I shut my eyes right before I'd be blinded just like the ashigaru, and concentrate on making my chains and my barrier grow bigger all at _once_.

The strain of unleashing it all at once puts severe strain all over myself. I feel like I'm being pulled apart by my chains. But I'm not going to give in to the pain. Or to the sensation I'm feeling. I'm not weak enough to be killed by my own technique, or even hurt by it! My name is Kushina Uzumaki, I'm an S-rank jonin, and I am the jinchuuriki of Konoha! I am anything _but_ weak!

I scream as I expand my chains and my barrier, and I feel the dozens and dozens of ashigaru get slammed into all at once. I've only done this variation of the Chakra Chains Barrier in combat once before, and I know what's happening. The ashigaru are bouncing off the barrier as I expand it and going flying into the air and into each other. I should also be spreading the powder around, making sure the flanks, as they're being hit with the bodies of their comrades, are going to be every bit as blind as their comrades too.

This is not how I typically form the barrier. It takes a lot more chakra and concentration. The Chakra Chains Barrier is a defensive technique, I generally use it to protect myself and whoever else is next to me. Using it as an offensive weapon is rare, but I can make it happen if I desire it.

I re-open my eyes, confident I've shot all the powder away so I won't be blinded too. I see Doto Kazahana standing there. He seems almost impassive in terms of posture, but there's a slight glimmer of fear in his eyes.

I can't help but smile at him, both as a tactic to intimidate him further but also because I feel a crazy sense of triumph envelop me. I've already won.

This is going to be over in a matter of seconds and then I can put this asinine service to Koyuki Kazahana behind me and make sure Naruto and his friends get out of this cursed land alive and well.

His voice shows no signs of fear, however. "I see you truly have earned your S-rank designation, Kushina Uzumaki."

"You won't live long enough to put that to good use," I reply. I disengage the barrier but keep my chains active. I charge towards Doto Kazahana and send two of my chains flying right at his head.

Doto Kazahana may not be ninja, but he's _fast_. He pulls out a katana with his right hand and deflects one chain but I re-direct the second chain to wrap around that right arm. He staggers as I pull his right arm down and I take the opportunity to pull out Minato's final gift to me, the Habanero Ninjatou.

I put my left hand on the seal and pour chakra into the handle, and the blade ignites to life. I'm going to put this flaming blade right through his heart, and then the flames will burn his body to ashes. I won't give Koyuki or her followers the right to mutilate this bastard's body. They can be animals some other way if they wish it.

Doto gets his right arm free of the Chakra Chain, but he won't get that katana out in time to block me. That much is certain.

But then I see a white blur flash in front of me and I see a gleaming blade get right in the path of my Habanero Ninjatou.

I can't budge him. He was ready to be hit with all of my might. I look up to see the new defender's face and I see Nadare Roga.

"Hello, Kushina Uzumaki," Nadare Roga says with a grin on his face. "Care for a re-match?"

"Not interested," I reply.

Nadare chuckles. "Too bad, that's what you're gonna get!"

I hear a feminine shriek from my left. Out of my peripheral vision I can see Fubuki Kakuyoku come charging right at me, her face clearly scarring from the damage I gave her a few days ago. "You're dead, _bitch_!"

I take my left hand and chuck my chains at her, and disengage from Roga to defend myself from Fubuki. I realize the big man, Miyore Fuyukuma, is coming from my right.

So this is Doto's _other_ trap. If you somehow got past the ashigaru and their teppou, you have to deal with Nadare and his team coming at you full-speed.

It takes everything I have to stay focused on all three of my opponents. I sense Doto Kazahana backing off just a bit, letting his minions do the work of fighting me. I spin around, using my left hand to direct the chains and my right hand holding my flaming ninjatou, keeping any of them from getting too close to me.

Finally, I manage to get Fubuki's hands entangled in my chains and I yank her down so she's on her knees. I can't get my right hand in position to finish her off so I just kick her in the face and send her crashing to the other side of the room, and re-focus on Nadare and Miyore.

I send every single one of my chains right at Miyore and they slam into him and I wrap them around him, before I throw him across the hall, Miyore spinning out of the chains and crashing through one of the tables.

"That will take some time to replace," I can hear Doto murmur somewhere behind Nadare.

I alternate between my chains and my ninjatou to assault Nadare without giving him a single moment to breathe. I've re-taken the offensive. I'm not going to give it back.

No time for fear or for caution. Doto, either out of foolishness or bravery, is not running away, he's watching this battle unfold. Perhaps he's even confident in Nadare Roga. The man is on another level compared to Fubuki and Miyore, he's deflecting every one of my attacks other than an occasional kick I'm able to give to his thighs, gut, or side. And even after I kick him, he gets right back into position to deflect my attacks without a moment's hesitation or to focus on his injuries.

Nadare _is_ borderline S-rank. That's one boast of his that is certainly true. He's not good enough to retake the initative on his own, though. It's taking all of his skill and speed just to stop me from killing him with my chains or my blade.

"Damn you!" shrieks Fubuki to my left. I can see her rising back up to her feet. "Why won't you just die?"

I pivot towards her and send my chains her way. She deflects the first two that go her way but the third one rams right into her gut and she staggers, the chain embedded in her gut, and a fourth impales her through the left shoulder for good measure.

Nadare comes in but I raise my right arm in time and stop him. I achieve deadlock, but it's one hand against both of Nadare's. As strong as I am I can't hold that for very long.

I try to yank the chains out of Fubuki but she grabs the one stuck in her gut and holds it there, even as she screams in agony as the one stuck in her shoulder comes flying out, blood oozing out of the wound and quickly dripping to the floor.

Why would she let herself continue to be impaled? I try to yank the chain against but Fubuki with both hands forces the third chain to stay stuck inside her. She looks at me, tears flowing from her eyes in obvious agony, but there's still defiance in her. She will not surrender or give up or even accept she's dying.

Wait . . . she _has_ accepted it. That's why she's keeping the chain stuck in her. She knows she's a dead woman who's still breathing, but she's trying to restrict my movements! She's trying to make it easier for Nadare to defeat me!

Damn it!

I can't hold Nadare with one hand for much longer, my right arm is screaming in pain! My blade is weakening too, it desperately needs another chakra infusion or it's going to flame out and then I'll be defenseless!

Nadare kicks me twice in the gut and the only reason why I don't get the wind knocked out of me is because I funnel chakra to my lungs, forcing my body to keep breathing in spite of it. Can't do anything to dull the pain, though. Or stop the feeling that I'm going to throw up.

I have no choice. I'm dead if I keep these chains active. I disengage the chains and Fubuki collapses to the ground, holding her gut with both hands, and spin away from Nadare, backing off a few steps, and place my left hand over the seal at the bottom of my ninjatou's handle, strengthing the blade of solid fire.

Nadare chuckles. "You're the greatest challenge I've ever had, Kushina Uzumaki. I haven't felt this alive since the death of the samurai class here."

"Nadare! Don't think about anything like that! Just kill her!" Doto shouts from my left. He's backed up a few more steps, he's close to his throne now. "She's the strongest ninja in the force, I'm sure. Take her out and the rest will fall!"

I hear Fubuki behind me. I turn my head and she's coming right at me for one final charge, despite the blood pouring from her wounds. She just will not give up.

In a way, I respect that. I don't give up either. Not until the very end.

I reach into my left holster and take out a kunai with a paper bomb attached to it. Fubuki won't feel any further pain this way.

Fubuki's sword is at a almost horizontal angle. She has no chance of defending herself this way, especially with her injuries. She's lost two or three steps from how fast she had been earlier. The blood loss is going to kill her in a couple of minutes, when adrenaline won't be enough to sustain her.

I throw the kunai right at Fubuki's head and it impacts her in-between the eyes. She staggers and begins falling backward when the bomb goes off, covering her body with smoke, effectively disintegrating her.

I hear Nadare coming my way, and I barely turn around in time to block him, but he still gets in a kick to my stomach, and it takes every bit of self-control to not vomit from such a vicious strike. He is _strong_.

I break the deadlock by backing off. Doto Kazahana has to be thinking about escape. I can't waste any more time on Nadare. But how can I-

Why the hell do I hear so many _birds chirping_ all of a sudden?

Coming from my-

Right.

Nadare spins just in time to be slammed into by Anko Mitarashi, her left hand glowing with dark-blue electricity.

The Chidori, otherwise known as One Thousand Birds. No wonder I was hearing birds all of a sudden. Anko had lined up Nadare while he and I were in deadlock and used the time to power her attack and come charging in.

But . . . it doesn't look like she won. Nadare backs away from Anko, who is clearly exhausted and holding her left hand like it could fall off.

Then I see it.

Nadare's armor _disintegrates_.

And he looks completely unhurt.

How did he . . . how did he survive that, much less not take any damage at all?

Nadare chuckles. "The Land of Snow's newest invention! The chakra armor! Your ninjutsu means nothing!"

"Yeah, but one Chidori is all it took to get rid of it," Anko says. "I've got one more shot left in me. I don't think you'll be able to handle it a second time."

"True," Nadare says. "But who says I'll give you the chance to use it again?"

"Kushina!" Anko barks. "Nadare's _my_ opponent now! Get Doto!"

"You sure?" I ask. I look towards Doto, and he gives me one look from his position before he begins to run away.

"Go!" Anko yells.

I don't have any choice but to trust Anko can handle it. I look across the room, and I see that Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and Fuu have all ganged up on Miyore. The teppou-wielding ashigaru are all down, or are dealing with . . . looks like the Kusa ninja. They must've opened the gates, why else would they be here?

That means Koyuki's forces will be inside the fortress any second, if they're not already. Doto Kazahana has already hit endgame.

"All right, good luck!" I shout and I charge past Nadare. He spins towards me, clearly not intending to let me go, but Anko sets herself and Nadare spins right back around and chucks a kunai at Anko, which she deflects with her own kunai. The message is clear. Nadare's going to have to let me go or risk getting hit with the Chidori again.

And without his chakra armor, Nadare's dead if he gets hit by that attack again.

I have no choice but to trust Anko and her own ability. Nadare's lost his armor so anything can kill him now, a big advantage for Anko. I just have to trust her. She is my son's sensei as well as his "soul sister". She is a jonin. I just . . . I just don't have any choice. Not unless I want to let Doto escape.

So I run, reaching the stairs just as Doto vanishes from sight at the top. I take the steps three at a time, relying on my chakra hitting my feet at the precise points so I don't fall from running up at such an unnatural pace. When I make it to the top, I see a back entrance open in front of me, and Doto Kazahana standing there.

"Coward!" I scream at him.

He just laughs. "Who says I just don't want a _truly_ private battle between you and I, Kushina Uzumaki?"

Liar. You're just scared and putting up a front.

"Chakra Chains Technique!" I shout and I bring my chains to life again. I throw all of them right at Doto, intending to either wrap him up or impale him, it doesn't matter which at this point. Despite the speed of my attack, Doto steps backwards and slams the door, and all my chains do is crash right into the door with multiple, rapid-fire _clangs_ and crash to the ground.

The door's made of steel, huh?

I disengage the chains. Different strategy now.

I make the horse and tiger signs, channeling my chakra so it is so much fuel for the fire. "Fire Style! Fireball Technique!"

I shoot the fireball right at the door with such force that I blow it off its hinges. It's not enough to destroy the door outright, but the door slams into the wall with a resounding _crash_ and hisses as it comes to a rest.

Thank you, Mikoto.

I run into the hallway. The right's a dead-end thanks to an apparent cave-in, but the left seems to lead somewhere.

He really thinks he can outrun _me_. I am one of the fastest jonin in Konoha. If I'm truly in the Land of Snow's bingo book, he has to know this.

"I know you can hear me, Doto!" I shout down the hall. "There's no escape for you! You're better off just getting it over with!"

Silence other than the echo of my voice.

Okay. _That's_ the game he's gonna play, then?

Fine. I wish him luck.

I pull out a pair of kunai and slowly walk down the hall, looking down at a stone staircase that looks hundreds of years old.

Guess the only way to go is _down_.

* * *

I seem to walk down in a spiral pattern for hours until I reach the bottom at long last, to see the end of a short, lit hallway and a wooden door left wide open, as if saying _Come in_. Doto clearly went down this way, and he's obviously setting a trap or ambush of some kind.

So Doto _isn't_ a coward. He's just being _smart_. As a non-ninja trying to face an S-rank, he knows he can't beat me in straight-up combat. He needs the element of surprise and trickery to have a chance. I'll give him credit for that. The man is a keen strategist just like his niece.

If he's not a fool, and I don't think he is, he probably knows that I'll be expecting a trap. So the trick is to catch me in an awkward spot, where my expectations of a trap or ambush aren't going to be enough to offset the element of surprise. Easy enough. I just won't give him an opening, then.

I walk slowly across the stone path, eyeing every side of the wall. I don't know what kind of booby traps may be set in here. Arrows from the walls, ground giving way to spikes, the walls suddenly shifting and trying to crush me, any of that could wind up happening. Or none of it. Doto traversed this path too, and I doubt he'd want to fall into his own traps if he has any set. Especially if he comes down here with any regularity.

Still, I can't be too careful.

I cross the door, and look at the walls. No signs of holes or perforations to the sides or above me. I look down, and there's nothing that looks suspicious below me.

Straight ahead, though, something looks _odd_. Lots of devices are ringing the walls ahead. Looks mechanical in nature, with tiny green and red lights on some of them.

What's this?

Footsteps. Behind me. Coming at me full speed.

I spin around to catch the intruder, but I quickly see Naruto at the bottom of the stairs. He pants in exhaustion as he looks at me wide-eyed. "Mom!"

"Naruto!" I spin back around, checking to see if Doto will use this as a chance to strike. Nothing. Not yet.

I walk a couple of steps back to Naruto as he jogs up to me, and I place my hands on his shoulders. "What're you doing down here?" I ask.

"I-I didn't want ya to go alone, Mom," Naruto says.

Naruto, I-

No. Don't get mad. Naruto means well. He's just trying to help. And in any case, now that he's with me and out of that battlefield up the stairs, I'd rather not make him turn around. I can keep him safe if he's with me.

"I understand," I say. "But do _exactly_ what I say, no questions asked, Naruto. I mean it. Doto Kazahana's dangerous."

Naruto nods. "Uh huh. I'll be careful."

"I mean it. Do _everything_ I say without hesitation or questioning. Got it?"

"Got it, Mom."

I let go of Naruto and turn back around, facing the odd mechanical boxes or whatever they are ringing the walls. "And by the way, Naruto: thanks," I add, looking back at him one more time and smiling at him.

Naruto chuckles softly, awkwardly.

I'll admit, in spite of the danger having Naruto right here next to me makes me feel better.

All right. Reset yourself. Breathe and re-focus. And _listen_. The first odd sound you hear may be Doto making his strike.

And it's clear where he'll strike first now. He'll go after Naruto. He recognizes that Naruto is my son. He'll think that Naruto is my weak point and any ambush he makes will be to hurt, kill, or capture Naruto so he can have me where he wants me.

He can forget it. My son is walking out of the Land of Snow with me.

Now just-

_More_ footsteps?

I spin back around. "Naruto, get behind-"

I see Ryuuzetsu Isayama standing at the bottom of the stairs, also panting, and it looks like she has a scratch on her right shoulder considering there's a bloodstain on her green shirt there.

False alarm _again_. "And what are _you_ doing down here, Ryuuzetsu?"

"Ms. Mitarashi requested it of me," Ryuuzetsu replies as she walks up to us. "She saw Naruto make a dash for you were going and she shouted for someone to go and follow Naruto. I volunteered. Haijime-sensei will keep Sango and Tadashi safe so I could go."

"Anyone else that I should be expecting?" I ask.

"I don't think so. The entire courtroom is chaos. The entire _fortress_ is chaos, actually," Ryuuzetsu replies. "I think we're winning but there's fighting _everywhere_."

"So obviously you got the gates open," I summarize.

"Yes, we did," Ryuuzetsu says with a nod. "Other than Haijime-sensei and I getting nicked there's no casualties on our end."

Naruto groans. "I don't need to be watched like some little kid, ya know."

"Your sensei cares about you, it's pretty obvious," Ryuuzetsu says, a small smile forming across her face.

I turn back around. All right, so I have a squad of three now, including myself, going after Doto. At least Ryuuzetsu is experienced and that Demon Lantern attack of hers may come in handy. I'm not sure I can trust her one-hundred-percent, but she is _not_ someone else under a transformation technique, that much I can tell, and Kusa _is_ an ally.

And at the very least she'll be able to protect Naruto if I can't.

"Enough chatter. You both do exactly what I say. This man is dangerous, and he may go for either of you first because you're both genin. Now follow me, and stay close. No splitting up for _any_ reason."

"Understood," Ryuuzetsu says.

"Got it," Naruto adds.

I begin walking again, back on my guard. I'm surprised Doto didn't take advantage of our conversation to attack, unless he's so far up ahead that he didn't know I was in a conversation for the last couple of minutes. Which isn't a good thing. He's gained precious time to either escape or set up a trap.

Which means I need to be even more careful.

As we begin walking by the gigantic box machines, Ryuuzetsu asks "What the hell are these things?"

"I don't know," I reply. "Never seen them before in my life."

"The Land of Snow is holdin' out on us," Naruto growls.

"That's what they do with their tech," Ryuuzetsu replies. "_They_ decide what technology gets to go out into the world and their companies control the supply like a monopoly. That's how the Land of Snow became so wealthy before the civil war tore it apart."

"I hate this country," Naruto replies.

"Feeling's mutual," I agree.

The room spreads out a little. I can't describe the technology I see before me. It looks beyond anything I could ever dream of. And there's paper spread all over the tables. I take a glance and they seem to conceptualize weapons and devices I could never fathom before.

Circles and cylinders and shapes that I just can't comprehend are stretched out before me, showcasing things that don't exist in this world. But, according to these papers, they _are_ possible. And if they're possible, they can exist soon, if they don't already.

"What's _this_ place?" Naruto asks as he looks over one of the tables.

"It's a laboratory of some kind, that's my best guess," I reply.

I touch one of the papers, and it seems to curl up and starting tearing apart at my own touch. "They're old. _Really_ old," I say.

"How's that possible?" Ryuuzetsu asks. "Whatever this stuff is, it's all far beyond anything we can do in Kusa."

"I don't know," I reply, and that's my honest answer. I can't make the connection. I know there's a serious discrepancy going on here but I don't know what that could be. It just doesn't make sense.

Naruto peers over one of the machines. "What's _this_ button do?"

"Don't touch that!" I shout and I grab his right arm. It takes me a moment to realize that Ryuuzetsu has shouted the exact same thing and has grabbed Naruto's _left_ arm.

Ryuuzetsu and I stare at each other, and we can't help but smile at each other nervously before letting go of Naruto. Naruto just makes a grumbling sound. "I'm _so_ not trusted."

"Sorry. But I'm serious. Don't touch anything," I say. "That goes for you too, Ryuuzetsu."

"Understood," Ryuuzetsu says with a nod.

As fascinating as this entire room is, who knows what's in here that could be a trap set for us. We can't stay here. We need to keep working through this room and chase after Doto. "We're going to leave this room for the others. Our target is Doto. Not all of this stuff none of us can understand."

"That's why I wanted to push that button," Naruto grumbles. "So we'd know what it does."

"That's something that's better off unknown for right now," I reply. I look on ahead, and I see another door. This time it's shut, but it seems to be the only way out of here.

"Through here. Follow me, and _stay close_," I say, and I head over to the door, which has no locking mechanism or any signs of a booby-trap. I wonder if Doto even fathomed the prospect of someone breaking into this part of the fortress.

"Move aside," I say, ushering Naruto and Ryuuzetsu to the left, out of the door's way, and I open the door, slowly but surely, and, sure enough, I hear a _crack_.

A massive spear comes flying out of the opening and crashes through several of the mechanical devices, causing sparks to fly everywhere, before slamming into the wall.

Naruto is trembling. "T-That was freaky," he says.

Ryuuzetsu peers around the door. "Doesn't look like anything else."

"All right, then follow me. And, just for the record, Naruto, that's the reason why only _I_ am touching anything down here," I say as I enter the dark hallway.

"You got it, Mom."

Unsurprisingly, Naruto is now in full agreement with me.

Being validated usually helps make people agree.

* * *

Another stairwell. This time it's dark and the steps are mere silhouettes I have to carefully step on. Even with my eyes adjusting to the darkness, there's hardly any light in here. It's probably tougher for Ryuuzetsu and Naruto than it is for me, considering they're younger and genin.

"Who designed this stupid fortress?" Naruto grumbles.

"Someone who lived and died long before any of us were born," Ryuuzetsu replies.

"I know _that_ much. I'm being . . . what's the word?"

"Rhetorical?"

"Yeah, that's it! Rhetey-whatever."

It's then that I heard Doto's voice.

"Hush. I can hear Doto. Just follow me and be silent," I say.

I walk down the stairs, seeing a small amount of orange light as I get closer. As I begin walking, I hear _another_ voice. It's deep, and distorted. It sounds masculine in spite of the distortion.

"_You have failed me, Doto Kazahana_."

"I have not failed! Not yet! It's the fault of that S-rank jonin, Kushina Uzumaki! She was not accounted for in the plan!"

"_One S-rank jonin was all it took to destroy the plan, Doto Kazahana_?"

"I don't know what the hell she did those eight years she went off the grid but she's become a _monster_ to fight."

A brief moment of silence. Then that deep, booming voice comes back louder than ever. Clearly out of patience. "_She is the jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox, Doto Kazahana._"

"She's _what_?"

A deep, distorted sigh. "_I was hoping the Land of Snow's innovation would prove worthy for my plans. It seems the innovation is in _spite_ of you. It seems I should cut my losses at this point, Doto Kazahana._"

"You can't do that! You need me!"

"_You're wrong. I don't need _you_, Doto Kazahana. I need someone _competent_. Farewell." _

A zapping sound.

_"_Wait!_ Wait!_ Please!_" _Doto shouts, and I hear him pounding on something, and then he lets out a snarl of frustration as I hear him throw something with a resounding crash.

"I'm gettin' really _sick_ of saying or hearing this, but what the _hell_ was that?" Naruto asks.

"Clearly Doto was a puppet of somebody, that's all I can say," I reply.

"That means we can just take him out?" Ryuuzetsu asks.

"We have to be careful. He's going to get desperate now. He'll be even more dangerous," I reply.

I step out into the room. "Follow me, and stay right behind me. Be ready to fight at a moment's notice."

I ready my kunai. I can see Doto hunched over at some sort of desk filled with buttons like the one Naruto almost pressed earlier. He's an easy target.

But just as I'm about to throw my kunai, Doto spins around, holding a teppou in his hands.

"You_ bitch_!" he roars.

"Down!" I shout.

And then Doto begins squeezing the trigger, aiming right for me.

I turn my head just in time to see that neither Naruto or Ryuuzetsu were fast enough to get out of the way.

I take Naruto's right shoulder and force him down just as Doto finishes pulling the trigger.

I look back up just in time to see a white flash from the muzzle of the teppou.

_Bang._

* * *

Cliffhanger no Jutsu strikes again.

Chapter 39 resolves the other battles going on in the fortress. Chapter 40 will finish Kushina's battle with Doto Kazahana.


	39. Red Snow

**Chapter Thirty-Nine: Red Snow**

_Sasuke Uchiha_

"You know what I think, Sasuke?" Fuu shouts at me, as we're stuck cornering Miyore Fukukuma next to the wall in the nearly-destroyed courtroom. "This sucks! This completely, totally sucks!"

"I'm not arguing with you on that one," I reply, as I make the sign of the tiger to channel my chakra _again_. I'm running pretty low on chakra, and Miyore, while he's wounded from strikes by Fuu and me, he's still standing, and Hinata hasn't been able to move in to knock out any of Miyore's chakra with her Gentle Fist.

Hinata's trying, but her injuries from the battle against the Oto ninja from a few days ago are clearly slowing her down. Anko-sensei's own injuries are slowing her down too, I can clearly tell she's struggling against Nadare Roga whenever I glance over at her. I want to help Anko-sensei, but I'm not going to let Fuu and Hinata battle Miyore by themselves.

I just wish there was a way to make this _easier_!

"Fire Style! Fireball Technique!" I shout and I shoot right at Miyore, who grunts as he rolls away, heading right for Hinata.

Hinata's gray eyes widen in fear as he comes right for her. "Get out of the way!" I shout.

Hinata tries to move, but I can see her right ankle is being favored, as is Hinata's right side. The cut on her forehead's begun bleeding again too. She just isn't ready for this kind of battle!

I have to help her! She's my teammate and she's clearly hurt!

I hit Miyore with a shuriken just as he's about to reach Hinata. He shouts in pain but he staggers just enough for Hinata to back away, and she stands right next to me.

"I-I'm sorry," Hinata says softly. "I'm useless."

"You're not useless," I reply. "We just need to get you in there somehow so you can twist Miyore's chakra out of control. One organ shutting down due to chakra overflow and he won't last long."

"Good luck with that!" Miyore shouts and he comes charging at us, his body glowing from the raw chakra he's using.

He's using some kind of physical strength attack! I jump out of the way, tackling Hinata in the process, and we crash to the ground just as Miyore plows through the wall. I look out through the hole, and it's more than just _one_ wall. He's plowed through _several_. He may have plowed his way outside!

"Please tell me he went through the side that has the ravine so he can go _splat_," Fuu groans.

I look around, through the courtroom. It's chaos _everywhere_, ashigaru versus ashigaru, I can barely tell who's with who in this room. I wouldn't even recognize who Haijime Kuroishi and his two genin, Sango and Tadashi, were fighting for if I didn't know them. Everyone's just wearing _white_.

But I recognize the side of the room that would lead to the ravine. And we're not on that side.

"I don't think so. I think Miyore just ran out into the courtyard," I say.

Fuu slaps her palm against her face. "Dang it! He'll squish Koyuki's army if we don't go out there!"

"B-But what about Anko-sensei? We can't just leave her here against Nadare!" Hinata yells.

And Hinata is right about _that_. But taking one look over to that battle clearly shows that we would have no chance against Nadare either! Anko-sensei is barely holding her own!

Crap! What do we do?

I wish Naruto would've stuck around instead of chasing after his mom! And then Ryuuzetsu went chasing after _Naruto_! We could use both of them right now!

"We help Anko-sensei," I say. "The Sound ninja are still out there, I think. They can take care of Miyore-"

That's when Anko-sensei screams.

And I see a colossal ice tiger sending her crashing through the hole Miyore made into the outside, making the hole even wider and taller.

Nadare is bleeding, but he looks confident. "This is why I bring my own ice, children."

I reach into my holster and pull out my trump card, the Demon Wind Shuriken. I guess we have no choice anymore. We _do_ have to fight Nadare!

Nadare raises an eyebrow. "Nice shuriken, _boy_."

"Fuu, Hinata! Back me up!" I shout and I throw the shuriken right at Nadare's skull.

He deflects the first one like it's nothing, but I sent the _second_ shuriken flying around him to strike him from behind! He can't possibly see that-

He sees it coming.

Crap.

He steps aside and lets the second shuriken fly past him, and it's heading right for Fuu.

Double crap.

Fuu reacts right away and has her Water Slicing Blade, which is really more of a _Wine_ Slicing Blade as she had made the blade out of the wine that had been on the tables, deflect the second shuriken away from her. But the blade shatters in the process, and Nadare moves right in and kicks her across the room into the wall.

He moves quickly, with precision, against Hinata and I. He doesn't even _try_ for kill shots with either of us, I can see it from his movements. But I can't move fast enough to protect myself. Before I can stop him he slams an elbow into my gut and then I see my world spin and my legs get lifted off the ground as I'm thrown into something _soft_ and then slam into the ground. It takes me a moment to see I was thrown into _Hinata_.

"Ow," Hinata moans.

I feel the same way right now.

Nadare looks between us. "You're all just children. None of you are-"

"_Shut up_!" Fuu roars from the wall.

"Oh no," Hinata whispers from behind me.

I know what's happening. I know Fuu's story. She's a jinchuuriki just like Ms. Uzumaki! She has to be unleashing her power right now!

Fuu stands up, a violent blue chakra pulsating around her, her eyes gold and her teeth looking sharp and bestial even from this distance.

The Water Slicing Blade reforms in her hand, without having to make a hand sign or call the attack. Fuu means _business_ now.

"What's this?" Nadare asks, his voice suggesting he's been caught just a _little_ off-guard.

Fuu shrieks as she tries to stab Nadare through the stomach with the blade but he steps aside and clubs Fuu in the head with his right hand, knocking her to the ground.

"You should live until you have more seasoning. I want a _real_ fight from the three of you, in say, two or three years," Nadare says. "Until then, you three children live until you can give me the fight I see the potential for."

Then he takes off through the hole, presumably to go after Anko-sensei.

"I'll give him the fight he wants _right now_!" Fuu snarls.

I can't believe the power, or the bloodlust, I'm feeling from her. I've never felt this from Fuu before. She had always been a fairly happy-go-lucky girl. Never this much rage or _power_.

This is not Fuu. Not completely. It's the demon that's inside her. That's the Tailed-Beast's chakra I'm seeing. She's drawing on its power and the beast is influencing her.

I have to snap her out of it! She could wind up going everything if she goes too far!

"Fuu, wait!" I shout.

Fuu's golden eyes glare at me, and they make me take a step back. She's giving off sheer, raw _killing intent_ without even realizing it! It's taking every bit of my self-control to not envision her tearing me apart! It's like it's not _Fuu_ anymore at all, but a _monster_ who's going to slaughter me and Hinata like we're _nothing_!

No, stop it! Stop being afraid! Anko-sensei is likely badly hurt and I need Fuu to help me save her!

"Will you _quit it_!" I scream at Fuu. "I need you to help me save Anko-sensei! You're not going to save her freaking out like this!"

Fuu hesitates, and then she closes her eyes and the fierce chakra waves vanish in a few seconds. Her eyes re-open, and they're orange again.

"Thank you," I say. Okay. Fuu can still see sense.

"We need to get out there, Sasuke!" Fuu shouts, pointing at the hole. "Get Hinata and get yourself . . ."

She's staring at me like _I'm_ the one who nearly turned into a demonic monster. "Uh, Sasuke? Your eyes."

"What is it now?" I ask.

"Your eyes have turned_ red_."

"They've turned _what_?" I see a shard of a broken wine glass on the floor and I stare into it. I can see it. The Sharingan in both of my eyes.

This proves it. I've activated it. Any technique I see in front of me can be _mine_.

If only I had seen how Nadare had activated that ice tiger! I could give him a taste of his own medicine! He'll regret wanting to wait for that _perfect_ fight!

I _will_ save Anko-sensei!

I walk over and pull Hinata to her feet. "We move, _now_! And keep control of yourself, Fuu. I don't need you freaking out on me!"

"No guarantees if it's the only way to save us," Fuu replies. "Besides, I can fly once I go into my one-tail-"

"Don't wanna hear it," I say. I look at Hinata. "You up to it?"

Hinata nods slowly. "Y-Yes. But Sasuke-"

"It's the Sharingan. Don't worry about it. This will actually _help_ us," I reply.

I look through the hole. "I'll lead! Fuu, stay behind me! Hinata, you're the tail!"

I run through the hole and top speed through the holes in each wall, running full speed, seeing flashes of other battles to the sides of my vision. If I were to guess, _our_ side is winning but Doto's side hasn't broken yet. We've got more work to do before we do that.

It's then that I realize I've run out of ground.

I'm falling

I'm falling _hard_.

Oh shit.

This is at least ten stories up!

I'm such an _idiot_! I'm going to die because-

There's bestial chakra above me. I look and I see Fuu. She's _flying_, with Hinata on her back.

She reaches a clawed hand out to me, her golden eyes showing concern underneath the ferocity.

Oh, what am I thinking? I'm about to die! Take her hand!

Damn it, it stings!

We zoom across the ground. I was nine or ten feet away from becoming a stain on the ground. We slide to a stop and I feel Fuu's chakra return to normal.

"Okay," I say. "That flying thing . . . is actually handy."

"Behind you!" Fuu shouts.

I spin and see an ashigaru charging right for me, his spear aiming for my gut. I jump aside and grab the spear in mid-stab, rip it from the man's hands and then slam the butt end into his head, right at his chin. He jerks backward and falls to the ground.

"Thanks. Again," I say. That's when I see another ashigaru attempting to sneak up on Fuu and Hinata.

"Watch out!" I take my spear and throw it with all of my strength at the ashigaru. The spear shoots right in-between Fuu and Hinata and hits him square in the chest. He crumples to the ground, his hands wrapped around the spear that I stuck in him.

"T-Thanks, Sasuke," Hinata says. "Did . . . did you kill him?"

I don't even want to think about what I just did. Not even for a second. "We can't worry about that right now. We need to find Anko-sensei! She has to be around here somewhere!"

I look around. I see Guren, her hands making the sign of the ram. "Crystal Style! Jade Crystal Prison!"

Two men are suddenly enveloped in crystal in front of my eyes.

The sign of the ram? Is that how you start crystal techniques?

It's such a unique chakra! She's using fire and earth nature ninjutsu together to create the crystal style! And the sign of the ram seems to be how she coordinates these natures together to create her crystal techniques!

"Crystal Style! Crystal Lance!" Guren does this without a hand sign as she forms a crystal lance in her hands and begins twirling it around her, attacking several men and one woman trying to surround her and she succeeds in cutting them all down in a precise pattern, carefully stepping through her foes to avoid being caught out of position.

And then, beyond her, I see Miyore. His right hand has Zaku Abumi by the head, and he throws Zaku right into Kin Tsuchi and they crash into a bunch of warring ashigaru. I don't see the third member of the team, Dosu Kinuta, _anywhere_. Miyore may have already taken him out of the battle.

Miyore spots me then. "There you are, you little brat!"

He's going to attempt an ice technique. I can already tell by the hand signs.

"Fuu, stop him!" I shout. "Hinata, with me! Let's do this!"

Fuu does the only thing she can on short notice, which is _throw_ her Water Slicing Blade right at Miyore. He's forced to interrupt his chakra-focusing to knock the blade away, but I've already begun running towards him.

"Fire Style! Phoenix Flower Technique!" I shout, and I spit three fireballs from my mouth, all aimed at Miyore. Miyore is forced to jump away from the fireballs but his landing is just a _bit_ off-balance, I can tell by his feet buckling _just_ a little.

The way Guren focused her chakra is on my mind. The lance. I'm going to form the lance. How would she . . .

Ram! Tiger! Horse! Boar!

"Crystal Style! Crystal Lance Technique!"

It forms in my hand perfectly. I've done it. Replicated Guren's technique even without seeing the hang signs she'd need!

I lunge at him, like it's a spear, and Miyore steps aside just enough for the lance to barely graze him, but he's left himself wide open for Hinata. Even with Hinata hurting and moving slower than she should, she's right on top of him.

"Eight Trigrams! Thirty-Two Palms!" Hinata yells as she begins her strike. Her palms slam into Miyore's gut repeatedly. She's giving it everything she has, I can tell. And I can see the chakra points where-

Huh. No, I can't. I don't have the Byakugan.

I can't learn Hinata's technique. Not perfectly. I'd need the Byakugan to tell what Hinata's aiming for and _why_.

Miyore staggers after Hinata's final blow, and then I see Fuu flying in the air. She's going to impale Miyore from behind with her Water Slicing Blade!

I've got to keep Miyore's attention on me or hold him in place so Fuu can do that! I take my Crystal Lance and lunge it right at Miyore's gut, on my left. Fuu looks like she's going to come in on my _right_, so I shouldn't get hit by accident.

I _pray_ I won't get hit by accident.

Miyore . . . he's not as fast as he had been. He can barely move, Hinata crippled him with her strikes! This isn't just going to-

_Shunk_.

His blood oozes from the wound I give him rapidly. It's getting on my hands! His blood is on my-

_Spchunk_.

Fuu's Water Slicing Blade has impaled Miyore from behind, right through Miyore's heart. The man lets out a soft, airy groan, and then collapses like so much dead weight, weight I can't lift. I can't get my lance to budge from him, so I just let it go and let the lance vanish from existence as Miyore collapses on his back, he . . .

He's . . .

His blood is . . .

"Sasuke?" Hinata asks. Despite the chaos of the battle around us, and she's speaking so softly, I can hear her as clear as if this was a meadow in the middle of nowhere. "We . . . we just killed him, didn't we?"

There's no question about it this time. We _did_ kill him. And his blood . . . his blood .

Get it off!

Get it off of me!

I feel so _sick_!

Off! Get it off!

What have we done? What did we just do? It wasn't to save Anko-sensei, what we just did! So why-

"Sasuke!" Fuu shouts from my right. Her shouting my name brings me back to the world. And my hands are covered in snow, blood-red snow, from me trying to get the blood off my hands and sleeves.

I just . . . I just want to . . .

No. Mother wouldn't stand for me crying right now. She's shout at me to get off my ass and remember what I'm fighting for! I have to find Anko-sensei! She's probably badly hurt and needs help!

I wipe my eyes with a part of my sleeves that _haven't_ been bloodstained.. I can't cry. I can't.

I look around. This part of the courtyard is looking more and more secure. It looks like Koyuki's forces are seizing control of this area, and . . .

And Hinata is on her hands and knees. And it's not from tears. Not just from that. She'd just _done_. Executing that attack took every bit of chakra she had left.

I don't feel much better. I think only Fuu can keep fighting for much longer.

"Fuu," I say. "Get Hinata to a secure part of the fortress. I'll keep trying to find Anko-sensei."

"_What_? I-"

"You can fly, remember? You won't have much trouble trying to find me that way. Just . . . just take Hinata somewhere safe. She can't keep fighting. Her energy's gone."

"I'm sorry," Hinata says softly.

"Don't be. You have nothing to be sorry for," I reply.

"Yes, I do," Hinata says. "I'm sorry we had to kill that man."

The moment she says that, I know she's right. I _know_ it. I know the adults will say this is war, this is part of it, but . . .

"I know. I'm sorry too," I say.

I look on ahead. Anko-sensei has to be _somewhere_ out here. I have to find her! And no matter how tired i'm getting, I need this Sharingan to stay active! It's the only way I'll be able to get through all of the fighting to find her!

I take off at sprint, leaving the safer part of the courtyard and returning to the battlefield.

* * *

All right. I've managed to run across half of this courtyard. I've seen Guren launch _several_ of those Crystal techniques, and I don't think she noticed me with my Sharingan either. That Crystal Encampment Wall she used to shield her downed genin from assault might come in handy in the future.

But that doesn't help me _now_. I still haven't found Anko-sensei, and I'm just feeling more and more tired the more I run and the more attacks I dodge from the enemy foot soldiers. I can't keep this up. I need to fall back like I ordered Hinata to.

But . . .

I know that _Naruto_ wouldn't give up. He didn't give up in that battle against the Sound ninja. He kept fighting even when he was past the point of exhaustion. Him managing to form those Chakra Chains for just a few seconds was what allowed Anko-sensei to form that Chidori and blast Guren with it. If Naruto can summon the strength for that, so can I.

Where is . . .

There! The northwest corner! I see her!

She's hurt really bad!

It looks like the slash she got from Nadare a few days ago is bleeding all over again, and she's bleeding from her forehead as well, she's lost her forehead protector! And her eyes . . . what's with her . . .

Those aren't Anko-sensei's usual eyes. I can see that clearly. Her eyes are filled with . . .

It's hate.

I can sense the bloodlust emanating from her! She's going to give in to that "dark side" she talked about! She probably thinks it's the only way she'll be able to live!

Her right hand is reaching for the left side of her neck! She's going to unleash the cursed seal any second now!

And there's Nadare, just standing there, with that smug, triumphant grin on his face! He has _no_ idea what Anko-sensei is going to do!

What's he doing now?

Tiger, boar, dog signs. Ice swirling all around him to make a-

"Ice Style! Dragon Vs. Tiger Technique!" Nadare yells as the ice creature begins to form in front of him.

So _that_ is how he does it, huh? He focuses his chakra by starting with a sign typically used for fire techniques to make the chakra flow faster, and then uses the other two signs to focus it so he can gather ice from all around him! It wouldn't work if he had to make ice from scratch, but with _existing_ ice . . .

Well then, I'll just do it too!

Tiger! Boar! Dog!

"Ice Style! Dragon Vs. Tiger Technique!"

I can feel it forming in front of me. All of the snow and ice around me billowing around, forming a perfect copy of that ice beast Nadare was creating!

I aim it right for the ice tiger Nadare just created! I wish I could direct it against Nadare himself, but if I do that, Nadare's attack will just hit Anko-sensei! I have to protect her first!

It's taking everything I have to make this creature _move_!

Slam right into the other tiger!

Wipe each other out!

My tiger collides with his and they crash into the wall right next to each other, ice spewing everywhere.

"What?" I can hear Nadare yell, and he peers at me with shocked eyes.

"Sasuke!" Anko shouts from her corner. I feel like I'm going to collapse, but I can see her eyes. They're her usual eyes again. I snapped her back.

I don't want you to stop being Anko-sensei. I like you just the way you are, as my sensei, as someone who believes in protecting others, not killing them.

I have to make sure you stay that way, for all of us!

I'm almost out of chakra! I can barely move at this point! But I have to keep trying! Nadare's gotten his precious fight! Now he'll pay for it!

I make the sign of the ram. I have enough chakra for this. I have to!

"Crystal Style! Jade Crystal Prison Technique!"

The crystal begins forming around Nadare, from his feet up. "What are you doing?" Nadare roars as he seems it forming.

Come on. Just enough chakra. Just enough-

I can . . . I can . . .

I _can't_.

I can only form the crystal up to his waist before it's clear I have nothing else to give.

My legs shut down. They literally _shut down_, they feel like jelly, they feel like a twenty-pound tomcat's been laying on them for the entire day. I can't stand up. I can't . . .

My face slams into the ground, into the cold, wet mud. There's no snow or ice around me anymore, thanks to me using it all up to attack Nadare's tiger.

And there's Nadare, clearly desperate, but he can't move. He has his ninjatou out, and his sword desperately slashes the crystal I _was_ able to form. And the crystal is weakening. It's not as strong as it should be. I just don't have enough chakra to make it perfect like how Guren can.

"Anko-sensei!" I shout. "Get him! Hurry! I can't hold it!"

Then I hear the familiar sound. The sound of a thousand birds from my left.

"I'm already on it, Sasuke!" Anko-sensei yells above the noise of dozens of distorted flocks.

Nadare turns to look at Anko-sensei, his eyes wide with fear for the first time ever. "No . . .No!"

Anko-sensei comes charging into my vision, shouting a vicious, pained battle cry as she slams her glowing left hand right into Nadare's chest.

They freeze, just for a second.

And then the crystal around Nadare's waist shatters and Nadare goes flying away, out of my vision, blood shooting from his chest, before he vanishes.

Anko-sensei got him. She really . . .

Why's everything so blurry? I can't make sense of . . .

Oh. My Sharingan must've finally turned off.

I'm so low on chakra I can't even maintain my Sharingan anymore.

I'm basically dead weight. So much . . .

Footsteps. In front of me. I force my eyes to focus, and I can see Anko-sensei's boots in front of me, and then her face as she bends down in front of me. It's her normal face, her normal eyes, and that kind, sensei smile I've gotten so used to seeing from her.

"Anko-sensei." My voice sounds like a dying frog, but I hope she can understand me. I just can't move anymore.

"Thank you." I feel her arms wrap around me and draw me in close. "Thank you very much."

I'm so tired. I just want to fall asleep right now. But . . . I have to tell her one last thing. I must have the strength for one last thing.

"Please." I don't know if she can understand me at all, or if I'm just saying this in my head. But I have to try. "Please stay who you are, Anko-sensei."

There's silence for a second, and I can't tell whether I'm still awake or have drifted off into a dream-world. But then I hear her voice.

"I will, Sasuke. I almost broke my promise there. I'm sorry. I won't let that happen again. I'll stay as Anko-sensei. I mean it."

"Thank you . . ."

Now, I feel like I can finally give in.

I've fought long enough, and my sensei is with me.

My sensei who I . . .

I . . .

I just feel proud of, right now, more than I ever have before.

I hope she doesn't mind if . . . if . . . I take a nap for a while . . .

* * *

There's a reason why Sasuke is able to copy Guren. It'll be a while before the reason is revealed but I hope you're patient.

There's also a reason why Anko's Chidori has an explosion at the end while Kakashi's doesn't do that. Unlike the Guren reason, Anko explains why there's an explosion in her Chidori in chapter 41.

Anyway, hope you liked.


	40. Heavy Violence

This is the final battle, but this is not the end of the arc. There are three chapters to go after this chapter is posted and then this arc will be over.

We will be going down to one chapter a week following the posting of chapter 42.

Also, I think I make it fairly obvious what Naruto BGM to turn on for this chapter. Just sayin'.

* * *

**Chapter Forty: Heavy Violence**

_Bang_.

I see the flash erupt, and then I feel a burning, throbbing pain _erupt_ on my right shoulder.

It's different than the pain Hidan gave me a couple of months ago, but it hurts just as much! It feels _hot_, and it throbs a lot more than Hidan's slashes did!

I grab my shoulder with my left hand, and when I take a look at my hand, all I see is blood.

"Mom!" Naruto yells, his eyes wide in shock

Ryuuzetsu is preparing a technique as I and Naruto get behind cover. She makes the sign of the tiger, her gray eyes lit up with ferocity. "Fire Style! Demon Lantern Technique!"

Several ghostly balls of fire rise into the air and shoot out at Doto, who runs off as the balls shoot at him. Several explosions erupt, but I don't hear any cry of pain or anything other than the odd, eerie howls of the fire.

Ryuuzetsu is breathing hard. That technique clearly takes a lot out of her. "You all right, Ms. Uzumaki?"

"I'm fine," I say. "I'm a jinchuuriki. I'll shake it off in a few minutes."

It's true, but my shoulder really, _really_, stings. Just touching the wound brings involuntary tears to my eyes.

"You didn't have to do that," Naruto says softly.

"Either you or Ryuuzetsu could've gotten hit, I had to get in the way," I reply.

It's then that Doto rises from the shadows, holding a teppou.

"Down!" I grab Naruto and duck and Ryuuzetsu ducks behind her own cover as a shot rings out, whizzing over my head and crashing into the wall behind us.

"I will not be taken so easily, Kushina Uzumaki!" Doto yells. I peek out to see him grab _another_ teppou. No wonder he had that second shot ready so fast! He isn't reloading, he's just changing pre-loaded rifles!

I duck again and another shot rings out. I've never heard anything so loud from something so small before. The thing looks like an odd, lumpy wooden stick with metal fused to it, but I can _feel_ how lethal it is. The teppou is a truly horrific weapon, and I'm not sure it's something I should let fall into Koyuki's hands. Maybe I should've blown up that entire weapons lab instead of leaving it to the others.

I pick up a kunai out of my holster. I'm not letting that bastard lean out and take another shot at me.

I lean out and just as Doto aims at me with another rifle I throw a kunai at his head. He backs off and the kunai slams into his armored shoulder, taking him off balance but not causing any clear harm.

"Naruto, Ryuuzetsu, stay back!" I shout, yanking out my Habanero Ninjatou and I light its fire by touching the seal.

Doto looks up, and raises his arms in futility.

Like that's going to save him. My sword will slice his arms off and light him on fire besides.

But when my blade connects with his arm-guards, I realize something is wrong.

I'm not cutting through or slicing anything on fire.

In fact, my flame goes out upon contact.

Doto smiles at me. And then I feel a massive force in my gut.

He's kicked me.

As if I'm in not enough pain already! He hits harder than Nadare! His body must be purely muscle to hit that hard!

Doto raises his teppou at me. "Chakra armor, Kushina Uzumaki."

"_Stay away from my mom_!"

Oh no. Naruto! He sounds like he's-

He jumps right into my line of sight, jumping onto Doto and they get into a wrestling match on top of each other, Naruto quickly losing his kunai in the process.

They back off towards a _chute_ of some kind. No. No. I can't let Naruto fall down a chute like that!

Ryuuzetsu runs past me. "I can't attack him! Naruto's in the way!"

Naruto will _not_ let go of Doto. He's latched onto him, punching Doto in the face with everything he has, and Doto can't rip Naruto off of him.

I force myself to stand up despite the pain in my gut and the feeling that I can't move my right arm one-hundred-percent. I can't give in to this pain. That's my _son_ attacking this man! He's attacking a man dangerous enough to injure me! He-

They're gone.

They've fallen down the chute!

"Naruto!" I feel so helpless right now. They're gone, just like-

No. No. It doesn't matter where they've gone. I'll go down there too! I'll go anywhere to save Naruto!

I run into the chute and let myself fall.

It's a slide. A long slide. And my right shoulder, bouncing and rubbing against the metal, jolts and throbs in constant, agonizing pain and I bite my tongue to keep from screaming. As it is, tears form in my eyes as I ride it down, refusing to give into the burning, throbbing pain.

I could reduce the pain by favoring my shoulder, but if I do, I won't slide down as quickly. I need optimum speed. I have to catch Naruto and Doto before Doto has a chance to do anything to my son!

I just hope I don't build up so much velocity that if there's a cliff on the other side of this I'll go flying off!

I see it. Daylight!

This is probably going to hurt!

I force myself to somersault the moment I get out of the chute and after getting upright, I drag my feet, forcing myself to slow down.

And there, I see it.

It's like a memorial I'm staring at a short distance away, down this hill. It's on the very edge of the ravine. It's like some kind of ceremonious structure. Four stone monoliths, one in each corner, centered around a circular slab of stone in the middle.

Doto . . . where is Doto?

I don't see him. Or my-

Wait. Right in front of the memorial! He's right there! And he . . .

Damn it! He has my son!

Like that's going to save him. My sword will slice his arms off and light him on fire besides.

I charge down the hill. I have no plan. No strategy. No other option. All that I can think about is Naruto. My son. He's just a genin. He's just starting out. And yet it's clear that Doto Kazahana, despite not being a ninja, is out of Naruto's league. He's possibly even in my league considering he's injured me.

If he's not a ninja, what could Doto . . .

No.

The answer's been in front of me the whole time! I should've realized it the moment he yanked out that katana!

Doto Kazahana is-

He has my son's shuriken right against Naruto's throat.

Stop. I have to stop.

_Stop_!

We're right in front of the structure now. I'm ten feet away from Doto and Naruto. I don't see any way to get myself there in time to save him. I don't think I can summon my chakra chains and throw them in time to save Naruto either.

Naruto is struggling in Doto's right arm as Doto puts the shuriken so close in looks like it's touching Naruto's _skin_. I know your son is precious to you! One false move and and he dies!"

Get that thing away my son's throat. I can see the blood starting to trickle on it, even from this distance. You're hurting him.

Doto grins confidently. "Glare at me all you want. You pull any of your tricks, whether it's with your chakra or that jinchuuriki demonic power you have, and it'll be on _your_ hands!"

How can I . . . how can I . . .

I can't. I don't see any way I can do anything in time that would save Naruto before his throat would get cut.

I can't give up, though. That's my one promise to myself that I have not broken. It's not the end yet. I won't give up. I _refuse_ to give up.

"Let him go," I say, but I know my threat is empty, and Doto knows it too.

"Now why would I want to do that?" Doto asks, grinning.

That's when Naruto bites Doto's hand.

Doto's eyes widen and he screams in pain.

Naruto kicks Doto in the gut or in the groin, I can't tell which, and forces himself to break free.

"You little _brat_!" Doto shouts as he reaches for Naruto.

Naruto puts together the hand signs in time. "Chakra Chains Technique!"

A single, solitary, _perfect_ chain shoots out from Naruto's body and slashes Doto's left hand. Doto screams in pain again and he staggers backward.

"Mom, go!" Naruto shouts.

Now I understand. Naruto wasn't going to give up at all. He's not going to sit there and let himself be a hostage.

Then I won't sit around and accept the inevitable either!

I draw my kunai. My Habanero Ninjatou may be useless against that chakra armor, but I have a feeling that normal weapons will cause just as much damage as they normally would. I don't need ninjutsu to put an end to this despicible man. Taijutsu and weaponry is all that I need!

But as I begin to charge, I feel it. A change in the air.

A violent change.

A vision shoots across my consciousness. I've haven't felt this sort of feeling this strong in years.

Killing intent.

Fight it! You have to fight it! You can't let yourself see yourself or Naruto die!

It just feels so _brazen_! So ferocious and cruel! Even without seeing my demise, I can almost _feel_ the inhumanity of what this man wants to do to me! I can feel him, forcing his way into-

No. I will _not_ even let a vision of him debasing me cross my mind!

_Get out of my head_!

The vision shatters, and I see Doto Kazahana making a mad dash. But it's not at me.

I look towards my left and Naruto is on his knees, tears streaming down his face, his eyes lost in despair and shock. He seems to have no clue that Doto is bearing down on him.

Whatever Doto tried to make me see or feel, _Naruto_ sure saw. And possibly felt as well.

That _bastard_! How dare he subject a_ child_ to his sadistic desires like that! I truly _am_ fighting a psychopath!

I _just_ make it in front of Naruto in time to yank out two kunai and stop Doto Kazahana's katana in its tracks. We go into deadlock, and I feel his enormous strength. He _is_ all muscle, all strength. Even I, with my chakra increasing my own strength, can't budge him. It's taking everything I have just to keep it at a stalemate!

Doto grins. "I see your kid breaks easily, Kushina Uzumaki. Not exactly a desirable quality in a ninja, isn't it?"

"Shut up! You're a despicable man! You're not worthy of the title _samurai_!" I shout back!

Doto's eyebrow goes up. "Oh, you figured it out. That I _was_ samurai."

He chuckles. "Of course, the title doesn't apply to me anymore. First I was ronin, and now I am the king of this country. I feel better this way. I can do whatever I want to without any code of honor holding me back! Your son just got an eyeful of what I want to do to _you_, Kushina Uzumaki!"

You're rotten to the core. I can believe you raped and butchered Uzushio now. You're that kind of man, who'd give in to such defiling cravings as Sandayuu Asama claimed you did. I felt you, just for a second, _saw_ you starting to violate me before I stopped the vision. That's what you want for me. To be your plaything to abuse and molest before you kill me!

And you made my son _see_ that. See me helpless and broken in front of you. How dare you. Just . . .

How _dare_ you!

I knew I was going to kill you the moment I saw you, Doto Kazahana. But now?

"I'm sending you to hell," I growl at him.

I push. I push with all of the strength I have in my two arms, even my right arm which feels like it's going to shatter from the raw pain alone. But it starts happening. His arms begin to give away, and I start to _win_.

And there's an opening right in his stomach.

I kick him square in the gut, and he grunts in pain and flies away several feet, crashing into the ground, sliding into the middle of the slab.

Okay. Now I have breathing room. Now-

"M-Mom."

Naruto.

I turn around. My son. He's sobbing.

"Naruto!" I walk towards him and bend down in front of him. "Naruto, it wasn't real. It wasn't real. I'm okay. Naruto, I'm okay!"

"I saw . . . I-I saw him . . ."

Naruto vomits into the snow next to him. I pat his back. What he saw was something no human should have to see, much less experience. It's one of the worst aspects of humanity, as sickening as it is to call it that. It's really something animalistic lurking in the worst of us, trying to burst out of us and take us over and make us do these horrendous acts of sex and violence.

"Naruto, it's okay. It's okay. He's never going to do that to me, you understand? He'll never do that to me. It was just a vision. It's his sick, twisted idea of murdering me, Naruto. But it won't happen!"

He's so shaken up. And I don't blame him for it. How can you expect a _child_ to deal with something like this?

"Naruto, Naruto, I need you to look at me." I reach in front of his face, snapping my fingers. He turns and looks at me, with such a shaken, broken look in his blue eyes. It's like staring at a broken _you_, Minato. That's what Naruto looks like right now.

"I will never, _ever_ let that happen to me. What you saw was not real. It will _never_ be real, Naruto." I reach out my hand and touch his whiskered face, and Naruto's hands come up and grip my hand tightly. He tries, tries so hard to smile at me, and I want to break into tears. His spirit comes closer and closer to breaking but he just will not give in.

"That's right. Believe in me, Naruto. It'll never happen-"

I feel it coming my way again. That twisted, evil killing intent.

I won't let it hit me or Naruto again! I spin around to see Doto Kazahana back on his feet, his eyes wild with the anger and crazed desires that are fueling his killing intent.

"_Useless_!" I scream as I force the killing intent away from my mind. I instead send my _own_ killing intent right at Doto Kazahana! And I see him stagger, just a bit, and he takes a step backward from us, staying right on that stone circle in the middle of the monoliths, but he does not fall.

"You are a twisted, evil man! How the hell do you get anybody to follow you? You are just a _monster_!" I yell at him.

Doto looks up at me, and he just shakes his head. "I'm amazed that a ninja of your rank and experience would have the _nerve_ to lecture me about _monsters_. You can't kill, or watch your allies be killed, as long as I have without wanting _some_ sort of release from it all, Kushina Uzumaki."

He returns to a fighting stance. "Uzushio. Three-quarters of my men were mercilessly slaughtered by the ninja and civilians there while we were trying to establish a beachhead there. Even the children could not be left alone. Even the _children_ could kill us, Kushina Uzumaki. That's what you ninja villages do. You train _kids_ how to kill."

He's actually _daring_ to lecture me? He can't be trying to tell me that him and I are not so different! He must be insane!

"They all had to die," Doto says. He chuckles softly, with barely any restraint. "They all had to die. And my men needed a _release_. So we took it out on Uzushio's women and children before we killed them. Can you blame us, when _all_ of Uzushio was a potential enemy, Kushina Uzumaki? You could not fight that battle without losing your mind, when your enemy could be _anybody_in that village! _Anybody_!"

"Shut up," I spit. "How dare you try to justify genocide to me. How dare you try to justify murdering _children_."

Doto raises an eyebrow. "And yet you allow your son to come here to be a target for me. Your hypocrisy knows no bounds, woman!"

"My son is a genin, and he was brought out here under false pretenses by your niece!" I shout back. "He didn't deserve to see what you just made him see!"

Doto chuckles. "If you truly want your son to become a ninja, he was gonna need to be toughened up. What I made him see is insignificant compared to the _real_ monsters in the world."

He's really doing it. I can't believe it. _Lecturing_ me. Who gives him the right to lecture _me_ on what he thinks _I'm_ doing wrong?

How dare he.

I step forward towards him. I'm going to step right onto that concrete circle and fight him to the death, right here, right now. It's time I ended this, before my son is forced to see something _else_ that he should never have to see.

You're just clueless," Doto says to me.

"I don't want to hear your disgusting words anymore," I reply. "I'm going to kill you right here, right now. And then I'm going home with my son and leaving this country behind me forever."

Doto smiles. "You're really think you're going to walk away."

Suddenly, he puts his katana away and begins making hand signs rapidly. "I'll make sure you never open your hypocritical mouth ever again!"

He stops. "Ice Style! Black Dragon Blizzard!"

The snow and ice from all around me, and around the monoliths, coalesce around Doto Kazahana, the ice darkening more and more as it grows. The wind turns ferocious all around me, sending shivers down my spine.

The Nine-Tailed Fox chuckles in my ear.

_Well now. After all these boring diversions, this is finally looking interesting_.

Just what I need. To hear _you_ right now.

The ice forms into a colossal dragon looming over Doto Kazahana, a dragon with giant red eyes, aimed right for me and Naruto.

I jump back in front of Naruto. I'm not going to even _try_ to dodge this one! My only chance is to weather it and hope for the best!

"Chakra Chains Barrier!" My chains form and shoot into the air and a barrier encompasses Naruto and I just as the dragons comes right at us.

It hits. Hard. I can see the barrier vibrate from the blow, and I quickly pour more chakra into the barrier and my chains to keep either from shattering from the onslaught.

"Mom!" Naruto shouts from behind me.

"Stay calm!" I yell back to him. I can't turn around to reassure him or even to smile. I have to keep all of my attention on the chains and the barrier or they'll crack and we'll be hit! "I won't let a single piece of this dragon hit you! I promise!"

A sliver of my barrier fails for just a moment and I have to use up even more of my reserves to seal it back up. But I see a small shard glimmer in the air for just a second, and I feel it slice through my left cheek. It stings, and I know it's bleeding already, but I force myself to ignore the pain. I have to focus on the barrier. It has to hold! It has to!

Finally, after an eternity, the dragon goes away and I can finally let down the barrier. I feel like I've spent all of my chakra on that barrier, but I know my reserves aren't depleted yet. I just haven't used so much chakra at once for all of these years. That has to be it.

Oh, great, here comes Doto again, charging at me like a headstrong maniac!

_Clang. Clang. Clang_. My chains and his sword clash against each other as we spin around, but I quickly let my chains down so I won't hit Naruto by accident. I'm skilled with those things, but I know Doto could easily manipulate me into striking my own son, and I refuse to let that happen. Naruto's been kicked around too much in his life already, he doesn't need his mother hitting him too! It being an accident is no excuse for negligence on my part!

So despite the disadvantage on my end I yank out a pair of kunai and duel with him. He's fast, and he has the range advantage. But I'm faster, even with my exhaustion. I can keep him from getting a hit on me, but I don't know if I can outlast him.

We deadlock right next to the southeastern monolith. "You have no clue what this places signifies, don't you?" Doto asks.

"Why would I? I don't live here!" I reply.

"This place is forbidden to outsiders! Those who allow outsiders to live after seeing this place are cursed to be destroyed, and then the outsiders who witnessed this place will follow!" Doto shouts.

"What the hell are you babbling about?" I ask.

"It's an old wives' tale to force the Land of Snow to continue guarding this place! What it does, I don't know! It unleashes or unlocks something or another, though I have no clue what it is or how!"

"Then why are you telling me this?" I shout.

"Maybe I'm finally sick of hiding this place! I'm a dead man anyway, I don't give a rat's ass about some-_GAAH_!"

Doto backs off, reaching for his back of his right side with his left hand, and then I see it. A chain in his back.

And Naruto's controlling it.

"Get your hands away from my mom," he growls, tears in his determined eyes but he is clearly had enough of this fight.

Naruto yanks the chain out of the unarmored side of Doto Kazahana and Doto yowls in pain, staggering back towards the stone structure.

"How . . . how did-"

_Crack_. That's the sound of the teppou, from the distance. I spin and there's Ryuuzetsu, a teppou in her hands and another slung behind her back.

Doto staggers again, this time from a wound on his _left_ side, near the front. "Y-You. How did you-"

Ryuuzetsu dumps the teppou in her hands to the ground and quickly unslings the spare she brought with and aims it at Doto. "Don't give me too much credit. I was trying to shoot you in the main artery in your thigh."

She aims the teppou. "These weapons jump in the air way too much for my liking, but I like the idea of killing you with one of your own weapons. Poetic justice, don't you agree?"

Ryuuzetsu pulls the trigger again but this time Doto raises his katana and _blocks_ the shot in mid-air.

But he does it wrong. It takes me a second to see it but Doto's injuries are hobbling him, his slash with the katana is awkward, out of position. The bullet winds up hitting the katana in the vulnerable _back _of the blade, making the katana shatter into two pieces in the process.

He's unarmed. Defenseless other than his ninjutsu and what chakra he has left.

Naruto throws his chain at Doto but Doto ducks and dodges it, and he crawls on top of the circular stone slab and runs in the middle of it.

"Stop right there!" I shout. I run after him and jump on top of the circular slab, and chase him to the very center. Doto begins making hand signs in the exact center. He's going to launch a_different_ technique than last time, I can see it!

"You have no idea what we guard here, woman! Though I don't have much of a better idea myself! All I know is that chakra isn't what we think it is, and that this piece of stone has something to do with it!"

"Will ya just _shut up_!" Naruto bellows from behind me. That perfect, solitary chain comes flying at Doto, interrupting his chakra focusing and making him back away.

"I don't care what kinda crap ya talkin' about!" Naruto yells, throwing that chain at Doto over and over, Doto just _barely_ dodging Naruto's strikes. "All I know is that ya want to hurt my mom and everybody else! I'm not lettin' ya do that! I've had enough of your mouth!"

I've had enough too. I think it's time this battle ended.

I position myself, and focus my chakra in my right hand, using my left to control and spin it.

"Naruto, enough! Back away!" I shout.

Naruto stops, and turns to look at me, and his eyes widen. "What is . . ."

"This is your father's attack, Naruto! This is the move that was created by Minato Namikaze, the 4th Hokage!" I yell as the chakra takes on a visible shape, and begins glowing in the palm of my hand. "This is his ultimate technique, which he never got to finish, and this is the best version I have of it, Naruto!"

It forms into a glowing ball, and I look right at Doto Kazahana, who looks at me fearfully. He sets himself and begins to make hand signs again. "What the hell is that? Is that the 'Chidori' attack that I saw that woman use on Nadare? No, it looks different!"

"It's not the 'Chidori'. This is Minato Namikaze's unfinished technique. It's a move I've replicated but can't perfect. Someday, though, my son will perfect this move and make it what it should become," I reply.

I prepare to run. "It's called the '_Rasengan_'!"

My call is both towards Doto and Naruto. Its significance means vastly different things for the both of them. It means the end of everything for Doto, but the beginning of everything for Naruto. It represents Doto's hopes and dreams, as twisted as they are, coming to a crashing end that will only end in hell. And for Naruto, it represents everything Minato wanted for our son, representing strength and power and the resolve to become Hokage and protect those weaker than us!

I charge right towards Doto with my Rasengan in hand. It's fully-charged, no longer draining my chakra. Doto jumps away from me as I'm almost on top of him, heading back into the center of the circular stone slab. He clearly thinks that this is just like the Chidori, where you're stuck running in a straight line, with tunnel vision!

The Rasengan doesn't work that way at _all_!

The realization of that dawns on Doto's face as I come in closer, pivoting to my left and coming at him from an angle. His eyes widen. He's going to get hit and he knows it!

I slam the sphere right into his armored chest and energy billows everywhere between us, threatening to knock me off my feet in the process! I force myself to maintain my posture and my balance, slamming the Rasengan into the armor harder and harder.

And then I hear the _cracks_. The armor can't absorb anymore. It's failing Doto.

"No . . . No! Impossible!" Doto shouts.

I would say something in response, but as I think about what to say, I realize I have no further words to spend on this man. He is dead.

The armor shatters and I penetrate his skin, and Doto screams in agony for several seconds before an explosion erupts, sending Doto flying through the air until he crashes into the monolith on the northwestern side, making the stone crack under his weight.

The stone shatters, and a rainbow-like glow erupts from the monolith, and I see Doto's body get enveloped in light. Tiny white tendrils, moving like snakes only with hands instead of heads, wrap around him, and they . . . they . . .

They're pulling him into the monolith. And Doto's eyes, wide with fear and unspoken agony, are very much alive.

Doto lets out a final muffled scream as he's pulled into the monolith, and there's a blinding flash, and then it's just the three of us staring at the rainbow-colored northwestern monolith.

"What did you just do?" Ryuuzetsu asks.

"I have no idea," I honestly reply. "It's like it turned alive all of a sudden."

Ryuuzetsu makes it to my side, and stares at the glowing monolith in awe. "It's beautiful, but creepy . . . you saw what it did to Doto Kazahana just now, right?"

"Yeah, I did," I reply. "I'm getting a sense of _charge_ in the air too. Anyone sensing that?"

It's a pulsation, pounding against us softly, fading for a second before hitting us again. It's not natural. It's making me nervous.

"It's like the air has a heartbeat," Ryuuzetsu says.

Naruto nervously looks around. "Anyone get the idea we just woke somethin' up that shoulda stayed asleep?"

My son occasionally speaks the obvious, but his insight here seems remarkably apt. I find myself agreeing with him wholeheartedly. "You're right. I don't like this. Ryuuzetsu, we're getting out of here. _Now_."

_Cracks_ from every other side. I spin and the _other_ monoliths are cracking open, rainbow glows forming underneath the enlarging gaps in the stone. We've _definitely_ activated something! I don't know whether it was the Rasengan or Doto's body slamming into the monolith, but something definitely turned on!

"Run," I say. "It's gonna do to us what it did to Doto. Run. Run _now_!"

I grab Naruto by the hand and begin sprinting off the stone slab. I seize Naruto roughly by his jacket and begin carrying him with one land, running back up the hill, Ryuuzetsu just ahead of me, sprinting with everything she has.

Naruto gasps as I put him on my shoulder. "Mom, you do _not_ want to turn around!"

"What is it?" I ask.

"Just go faster!" Naruto shouts. "Must go faster, must go faster!"

It sounds like the ground is caving in behind us! Like it's an earthquake making the whole ground falter! And I feel something eerie behind me too, something trying to pull me in or make me slow down!

I want to see what it is but I know if I turn around I'll die! I can't slow down!

There's a steel door up ahead. Ryuuzetsu pushes it open with her shoulder and it opens right as I get there.

I dive to the ground. "Ryuuzetsu, close it!"

I hear the door shut with a resounding _clang_. And then dozens, maybe hundreds, of muffled _thumps_ shake the door and the rock around us, like an avalanche was following us from the outside, or, perhaps, hundreds of giant fists punching the door and the mountain.

I see the door, which offers no look at the outside, and it's dented. It's dented exactly like fists have slammed into it. But it didn't budge. I see a seal on the door too, a seal that looks like a cross between a star, a cross, and a crescent all merged together, and it's _glowing_. The seal must've strengthened the door somehow, perhaps from this very instance, preventing it from ensnaring anybody who makes it to safety like we have.

Come to think of it, the whole environment was isolated from the rest of the world. There was no way to get out of that place other than here. I wonder if those monoliths are why that is

Ryuuzetsu collapses against the wall, her face soaked with sweat, panting heavily. "What I saw for those couple of seconds . . ." she breathes, "Is enough for a lifetime."

"What was it?" I ask.

"Hands," Naruto says softly. "Hundreds. Thousands of those white hands, merging together and getting bigger and bigger. They were . . . they were after _us_. All of us. Destroying the ground, carving it up like it was steak or somethin' to get us."

He holds his head in his hands. "We . . . we gotta make sure no one else goes down that chute. They go down they're so dead."

"I already made sure no one would follow," Ryuuzetsu says. "I blew it up on my way down. So the only way into this place now . . . is wherever we are."

I look up. It's like another spiral staircase, like the one I traversed to get into Doto's laboratory. Except this one looks more ancient, and like it hasn't been maintained at _all_. I don't like the looks of it overall, it seems unstable and dangerous, ready to crumble the moment someone steps on something wrong.

"Ryuuzetsu," I say. "I think what we just saw is something we shouldn't discuss with anyone else. I think this is something better off forgotten."

"True," Ryuuzetsu says.

"And," I add, "The moment we get up that staircase and make sure we rejoin everyone else, I want you to use your Demon Lantern technique and blow this passage up. _No one_ accesses those monoliths. Got it?"

"You got it," Ryuuzetsu replies. "I think I have enough chakra left for that."

"What kind of place was that?" Naruto asks as we get up and begin heading towards the stairs. "And why would all of those hands come shooting out, trying to grab us? I can't believe _that_ is what the Land of Snow is trying to protect."

"I don't know. I don't think we'll ever know," I reply. "Right now, let's just be happy we got out of there alive. Just remember, no one else knows about this place, Naruto. It has to stay a secret."

Naruto shivers. "Ya don't hear me arguing. I never wanna see those creepy hands again."

He looks at me. "I wonder what's happening to Doto right now . . . if he's even still alive."

"I think that's something we're better off not thinking about," I reply. But I'm sure whatever it is . . . it is what Doto Kazahana deserves for living such a violent, angry life.

I won't live the way Doto is. He can call me a hypocrite but I know my way is better. My way _values_ life.

If you don't value life, you're just waiting to have it taken from you as you take someone else's life . . . which is what Doto Kazahana learned the hard way.

It is a lesson learned far too late to put into practice for him . . . but not for me.

And now . . . to walk up these old, crumbling stairs, and leave the horror of death and the unknown behind.

It's time to rejoin what I know . . . and life.

I think I'll enjoy life for a while.

* * *

There you have it. Things didn't turn out exactly like the movie, did it?

Actually, what you got a glimpse of there at the end is a little bit of the ultimate ending to the whole saga. Those glowing white hands/arms mean something, and so does the seal. What it means won't get revealed for a LONG while.


	41. Respite

The following is the last Sasuke POV for a loooooooooong while. It'll be exclusively Kushina after this for well over a dozen chapters.

I thought I've laid out good reasons for Naruto being the way he is in this fanfic. I don't want to drive it down peoples' throats any more than I already have. It should also be obvious that the Land of Snow's happened much earlier in this timeframe and I also made Doto and his ninja slightly more powerful as well.

Also, I snuck in a LittleKuriboh reference in the below chapter. Internet pie to whoever finds it.

* * *

**Chapter Forty-One: Respite**

_Sasuke Uchiha_

The wounded have been grouped inside the throne room, the debris and dead bodies moved out of the room as the wounded come in, several with severe injuries they likely will not survive.

We're all injured here. Anko-sensei has been slashed in multiple spots and the entire back of her body is a massive bruise, or so she says. I still feel faint whenever I stand up, my chakra hasn't replenished very well since the battle. Hinata re-aggravated her injuries during the battle but hopefully this will be the last fight for a while. Only Fuu seems unhurt, but I've noticed that injuries don't stick around long for Ms. Uzumaki, so Fuu may have already recovered from the injuries she got. I almost wish I was a jinchuuriki like them so I could heal so fast, though I bet I don't want to have to deal with demons and stuff like that.

Anko-sensei has been gazing off into space for most of the time. Really out of character for her, she is not the type to daydream. She gets distracted a lot but never by her own thoughts. But there she is, huddled up against the wall, her brown eyes seeming to be looking at something not in this reality.

I know part of it has to be that Anko-sensei had nearly activated her Cursed Seal of Heaven. She nearly gave in to whatever dark power that seal gives her. And her eyes had not been the eyes of the Anko Mitarashi-sensei who has been instructing and leading me for the last couple of months. They had become cruel and vindictive, fueled by rage and bloodlust.

But the other part is that Naruto still hasn't returned.

What an idiotic thing to do! Why did he take off after his mom like that? His mom is an S-ranked jonin! She could've handled Doto Kazahana on her own! I just hope Naruto isn't dead. I can't imagine what would happen to Anko-sensei or to us if Naruto didn't make it. His spirit is what keeps us going even when we're exhausted. We need him here, with us.

Anko-sensei seems to sense me staring at her and looks up at me, her eyes focusing in the next few seconds. "Is something wrong, Sasuke?"

"I'm just asking if you're okay, Anko-sensei," I reply.

Anko-sensei nods. "I'm better off physically now than I was when we were in that battle. I'm sorry, I'm just . . . thinking."

"Is it about what happened outside?" Hinata asks. "Sasuke told us what happened after he woke up, so we can understand what happened."

Anko sighs. "Partially, yeah. I almost broke my promise to you two there. It's hard not to feel sad about that, you know? How I . . . almost became the old me again."

Her hands grip her knees tightly. "I don't want to be the old me, Sasuke, Hinata. The old me would be a terrible sensei, not that the old me would've become a full jonin anyway. The old me was . . ."

She shakes her head. "I'm staying your sensei, and that's final, so."

"What was the old you like?" Hinata asks.

Anko looks down, staring at her knees like they're the most fascinating thing in the world. "She was . . . a very cruel person, Hinata. The old me was another Orochimaru waiting to happen. I'd rather not talk about who I _was_. I want to be who I am right now, which is your sensei, and someone very, very different from Orochimaru."

She looks up at us, and gives us both a smile. "I've trained all three of you the exact opposite of how Orochimaru would've. Orochimaru was an enigmatic, creepy person, who never told you what he was planning and you just had to follow his instructions. I don't believe in that philosophy. I believe all of you are valued and deserve to have your voice heard, and to be your own person, so you can contribute to the team in your own way. It's my job to make sure your different styles and personalities mesh into the perfect team."

She looks at Fuu then, that smile growing wider. "I'm impressed at how quickly you two meshed with Fuu, actually. I've been hearing the three of you kicked some serious ass. I'm proud of that."

Fuu gives Anko-sensei an "aw, shucks" type of face. "I do my best, Ms. Mitarashi."

"That's good." Anko-sensei looks back down again, though. I know it has to be about Naruto. Anko-sensei can say she's been fair and technically she has, but she loves Naruto in a way that Hinata and I will never know.

I don't feel any kind of bitterness for that though. Especially not right now, when it's not even known if-"

"Anko!" There's Naruto's voice, and he forgets to add "sensei" to Anko-sensei's name as always.

"Naruto!" Anko-sensei springs to her feet, wincing at the pain of her injuries, but she runs past us and right to Naruto, who is standing next to his mom and Ryuuzetsu. All three of them look pretty roughed up.

Anko-sensei grabs Naruto by the shoulders and begins shaking him. "What were you _thinking_ you idiot! You had me worried sick! Don't you _ever_ leave your teammates behind again you hear me or I'll drop you from the program completely!"

"I get it Anko stop shaking _meeeee_!" Naruto wails.

Anko-sensei stops, gives Naruto one look in the eye, and then hugs him. Naruto makes a "gack" noise. "This feels like a 'Mom hug'. TIght, really tight, Anko!"

Anko-sensei lets go, and shakes her head. "For the last time, Anko-_sensei_, Naruto."

"Sorry," Naruto replies, scratching the back of his head.

"They're still alive," Hinata says to me.

"I wonder if they got Doto," Fuu adds.

Good question. They don't look too happy, but then again, I felt no joy for killing Miyore either. I still don't. Thinking about Miyore's blood oozing onto my hands and forearms makes me want to scrub them until they bleed themselves.

Anko-sensei looks to Ms. Uzumaki. "What happened? Did you get Doto?"

"He's dead," Ms. Uzumaki replies. "I need to inform Koyuki of the circumstances surrounding his death right away, as there is no body."

"No body? How?" Anko-sensei asks, stunned.

"Naruto can explain what happened during that battle," Ms. Uzumaki says. "Please, I need to make my report to Koyuki. She's somewhere around here, right?"

"I believe she's in the courtyard somewhere, doing a tour or something," Anko-sensei replies.

Ms. Uzumaki sighs. She looks weary, and actually looks her age during this moment too. Ms. Uzumaki's youthful appearance is legendary and widely envied in Konoha, but she doesn't look so young right now. She looks tired and worn down, like a surface that's had sandpaper rubbed on it.

"All right. Looks like I'm doing some walking. Ryuuzetsu, can you please accompany me? You'll be my witness," Ms. Uzumaki says.

Ryuuzetsu nods. "I can do that. But after we're done, I want to meet up with my squad. I am sure Haijime-sensei is not happy with me for leaving my team either."

"Hopefully this won't take long. Anko-_sensei_, as Naruto is your student, I'm entrusting you with _him_. Do what you feel is necessary regarding Naruto," Ms. Uzumaki replies.

"I'm scared," Naruto mumbles.

Anko-sensei pats Naruto on the shoulder. "I'll just make you run laps around the entire fortress."

Naruto looks down, making an "Aww" noise.

"Thank you. I'll see you later, Anko," Ms. Uzumaki says, and she and Ryuuzetsu both leave, and Naruto just stands there, looking at us fairly blankly.

He scratches the back of his head. "Umm . . . sorry about taking off and everything. I was . . . I was just worried about my mom."

Anko-sensei sighs. "Look, seriously, I'm going to discipline you for what you did, but right now, let's just sit down, and you can tell us what happened, and then we can tell you what we did."

Naruto nods. "Okay, sounds good."

He walks over to where we are and sits down right by Hinata. They look at each other for just a second, before they both look away, looking equally embarrassed.

I think Naruto's finally realized Hinata has a crush on him. Congratulations, Naruto. Now you need to decide how you want to deal with it.

As Anko-sensei sits down, Naruto claps his hands together. "All right, I got some serious stuff to tell ya guys! Let's do this! It all started with . . ."

* * *

"And that's what happened!" Naruto says with finalty.

Fuu blinks several times. "I kinda think that Doto didn't shout 'Aaaagh, you punched me in the tummy-waaaaaaaagh' when your mom blasted him."

"Well, he shouted _somethin'_, but I couldn't hear it exactly over the sound of my mom, ya know, _blasting him_," Naruto replies with a nod of finalty. "So that's my best guess."

No offense Naruto, but I'm with Fuu on this one. I don't think Doto Kazahana would go out in such an . . . _undignified_ way. I get the feeling that you're exaggerating or leaving something out too, I can just tell. You're not a good liar, Naruto.

"So basically, the reason why there's no body is because Doto went flying off a cliff," Anko says.

"Yeah. We're talking about a fall of a zillion feet here," Naruto replies. "I can't tell where he landed or if we can even get down there to find the body. Not that I wanna find the body anyway. I've seen enough dead people today."

"Word," Fuu says, and she leans back and lies down on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

"I'm just glad you're okay, Naruto," Hinata says.

Naruto chuckles. "I'm glad everybody's all right, Hinata! So what happened to you guys, huh?"

Anko-sensei basically summarizes it, starting from the point where she sent Ryuuzetsu after Naruto to her ending Nadare's life, fitting in the battle with Miyore in the middle. Naruto actually pays close attention, and after Anko-sensei is done, Naruto chuckles lightly, clearly embarrassed.

"Uh . . . something tells me this would've been easier if I'd stayed," Naruto mumbles.

"Exactly. Kakashi Hatake told me something when I became your sensei, and that is 'shinobi who disobey orders are scum, but those who leave their comrades behind are _worse_ than scum'," Anko-sensei replies.

"You're calling me 'scum'?" Naruto asks in an uncharacteristically whimpering tone.

I'll admit, I can see how Naruto came to that conclusion, considering that's exactly what he _did_.

"You're not scum, Naruto," Anko-sensei replies with a sigh. "But I don't want you leaving your teammates behind ever again, even if you're worried about your mom. Your mom is an S-rank jonin, Naruto. She can take care of herself."

Naruto looks down. "I was worried about her, okay? She . . . she hasn't been around for more than a few years. I . . . I don't wanna _lose_ her again, ya know?"

Anko-sensei smiles. "I do know. I'll also say this. Your mom is not going anywhere, Naruto. She'd go through hell for your sake. You'll never lose her, not for long anyway."

Then Anko-sensei's eyes harden. "And you're forgetting a crucial part of my job here, Naruto. My job is to make you independent so you don't have to rely on your mom. Your mom isn't going to pull us out of fires anymore. We need to accomplish C-ranks without your mom's assistance. Otherwise I can't enter Team 7 in the Chuunin Exams which are in a little over two months. You have shown me that you're not ready for the Exams, Naruto. You left your team behind. You do that in the Exams you will fail, and possibly die, along with your teammates."

Naruto seems to shrink in his position. "I'm sorry."

"Don't ever do that again, Naruto, not if you want to stand by your mother as an equal someday," Anko-sensei replies.

Then she smiles again. "Don't take this as an attack on your love for you mom, though, okay? To be honest, I admire what she did here. She traveled a long way just to make sure we would be okay. It's not unusual for a parent to tag along on a C-rank, but it's unusual when the C-rank takes so much time to accomplish and is so far away from Konoha. Sacrificing an entire month of her life on this journey, Naruto, because she loves you. That's something special and you need to remember that."

Huh. Now that Anko-sensei says that, I kind of wish it had been Mother who had followed us, not Ms. Uzumaki. I mean, I'm sure that Mother being here would be incredibly embarrassing for me, but on the other hand, Anko-sensei is telling the truth. What she said just now says everything that needs to be said about Ms. Uzumaki. How much she loves Naruto can't be questioned at all.

Her love for Naruto is strong, her devotion to him beyond the norm. I can see that just by the times I've seen her, how her mood brightens just by Naruto's mere presence. While Ms. Uzumaki looks young for her age already, the years just seem to vanish off of her when she's with Naruto too. She seems like she's barely out of her teens in her happiest moments with Naruto, when she's filled with the same crazy energy and spirit Naruto has. Naruto just gives Ms. Uzumaki joy, and I can tell the same thing is true in reverse.

And then there's Mother. Mother who doesn't smile much anymore. Mother who seems to be isolating herself. Mother who never seems to be happy, whether with me or with her life or with the village elders, always seeming to be on the edge of a fight but never following through with it. I just don't feel like I'm reaching her expectations for me, either. I'm doing something wrong and I don't know what it is.

What's happened to you, Mother? Why do I not seem like I exist to you sometimes? Why? What did Itachi do to you to make you this way?

"I won't forget it," Naruto says, jarring me from my thoughts. Looks like this conversation is wrapping up. "And I'm sorry. I won't leave the team behind again."

"Good. But that isn't getting you out of your punishment," Anko-sensei replies.

"What's the punishment again?" Naruto asks.

"I haven't made up my mind on what it is yet."

Fuu chuckles from the floor. "I wonder how much trouble I'm gonna be in. I probably made Konoha freak out when I vanished."

"Bigger trouble than Naruto is," Anko-sensei replies. "I bet they'll be siccing ANBU on you to make sure you don't do this again."

"Help me," Fuu moans from the ground.

"You may be able to get away with a looser watch if you live with a Konoha ninja," Anko-sensei replies. "What do you do right now, live in a hotel?"

"Yup." Fuu sits up. "Maybe Ms. Uzumaki will let me stay with her when we get back to Konoha. I'm sure she won't mind."

"Huh?" Naruto asks, his eyes wide. "Really? I heard that 'nakama' word being thrown around but I didn't know you and Mom _meant_ it."

"I dunno if I can trust anyone else besides her," Fuu says. "And that's 'cause Ms. Uzumaki is a jinchuuriki like me, and she's nice to me too. I don't know if there's anywhere else I can stay in Konoha besides her place."

"Aw man," Naruto grumbles. "Just what I need."

"What?" Fuu asks dangerously. "Got a problem with me?"

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't," Naruto replies.

Anko-sensei gets between the two of them before anything can start. "We've had enough fighting for today. Break it up for right now."

"Sorry," Naruto says.

Fuu makes a "hmmph" noise and looks away from Naruto. "Whatever."

"Let's just relax until we're okay enough to return to Koyuki's headquarters. Our job is over for right now," Anko-sensei replies. "Let's just concentrate on not getting into trouble for right now."

I like that idea. I've had enough trouble already.

But when Hinata gets up and motions to me to follow her, something tells me there's going to be more trouble.

I just hope it's not the physical kind.

"What's going on?" I ask Hinata as we walk through the hallways. Hinata's walking just a bit gingerly, she's clearly not going to get over her injuries for a while. Something tells me even after a two-week journey home we'll all need some rehabiliation before tackling another C-rank.

"Anko-sensei," Hinata replies.

I immediately realize what this is about. "Look, she won't unleash the seal, Hinata. She promised us that."

"But you saw her almost do it, Sasuke," Hinata says softly. "She was going to break her promise to us."

She shivers. "I'm scared of her, Sasuke. I'm scared of that evil, twisted chakra she keeps knotted up inside her. I'm scared of what kind of person she used to be. I've been researching her, Sasuke, because she scares me so much. There's . . . there's a lot of things that have been hidden from us."

"Like what?" I ask.

"I read some of the reports from her missions. Some of this . . . I c-can't make up, Sasuke. Like her l-licking blood and going out of her way to kill and maim people just b-because."

Hinata buries her face in her hands. "I can't h-hide this from everyone anymore. And Naruto won't believe me! I'm scared of her, Sasuke! I think our sensei's a monster!"

It takes me a moment to hear Hinata actually sobbing into her hands. She's so torn up over this she can't hold herself together anymore. She just doesn't know what to do.

"Has she done anything recently?" I ask. "Within the last five years?"

"That's the t-thing," Hinata says. "It's l-liked it stopped almost overnight. Right after a B-rank."

"The B-rank that Anko-sensei told us about, the one that made her decide to change," I reply. "She told us all about it, Hinata."

"I just . . . I know I must sound s-stupid and everything but . . . but I know she's just forcing it all down! What if it comes out, Sasuke? What if it comes out in front of us? What if she unleashes that seal in front of us and she becomes whatever Orochimaru tried to turn her into?" Hinata buries her face in her hands again. "I can't take it."

"It won't. Believe it." That's Naruto. Just like the last time Hinata was scared about Anko-sensei, Naruto has been eavesdropping and is finally making himself known.

"Naruto!" Hinata spins and looks at him, and then looks down, leaning against the wall. "I'm . . . I'm sorry."

"I lived with Anko since I was five years old until she moved out to an apartment across the street," Naruto says. "She sucked as a person at first. I agree with ya on that one. She didn't treat me so hot. But the point is that she's not that person anymore, and she won't change in front of us. Wanna know why?"

He looks over at _me_. "All it took was seeing Sasuke and she didn't do it. She'll never go back to the way she was because she knows if she does she won't be our sensei anymore. And she cares about us way too much to let that happen."

"Why are you so sure?" Hinata asks. "How do you know?"

"Because this is Anko's dream, right here, right now, being our sensei," Naruto replies. "She wants to be sensei for _many_ genin until she's a wrinkly old lady. And if she decides to activate that seal on her neck, it's all over, just like _that_. You really think that if there's a chance she'll activate her Orochimaru-powers or whatever they are that they'll let her be our sensei, or_anybody's_ sensei?"

"No," Hinata says.

"Then I don't see nothin' to worry about," Naruto says, and then he smiles. "There's nothing to be scared of, Hinata." Hinata's face turns red. "O-Okay, Naruto."

Naruto chuckles. "You scared of her, pretty boy, or do I gotta explain it all over again?"

"I'm not scared of her," I say. "I was actually going to say the same thing, just . . . not in the same way you did."

"That's 'cause my way _works_," Naruto replies.

I can't really argue with him. Not after seeing Ryuuzetsu just a couple of nights ago, who had been talking to me so fatalistically and then _hugged_ Naruto after getting a pep talk from him and being in a much better mood for the rest of that night. Naruto has that kind of way with people. I'm jealous about it.

Maybe I gotta shove him in Mother's face when Naruto's in this pep-talky mood. Just to see if Naruto can't perk Mother up a little.

"Anyway, I'm gonna go and check out the rest of this castle-thingie," Naruto says. "There's a lot we didn't get to see because we were running around everywhere. I'll check out the kitchen anyway. Maybe they have something to eat."

Thanks, Naruto. Now my stomach's growling. I had completely forgotten I hadn't eaten since before this mission got underway.

"Sounds like a good idea. Maybe it'll make us feel better," I reply.

Naruto grins at Hinata. "Come on, you come with us."

"All . . . all right." Hinata follows us as we begin walking down the hall, presumably heading towards the kitchen or just plain getting lost, but I admit, I feel a little better.

But I don't know if Naruto's confident little talk is completely true. Neither he or Hinata had seen Anko-sensei's eyes like I did when she was reaching for that seal. Her eyes were _different_, even more than they were during our genin test. Neither of them had seen the hatred in her eyes, or sensed the bloodlust rising from her, as she began giving in to her worst desires. All of that is real, real in a way I'm not sure Naruto realizes because he never saw it happen.

At the same time, Naruto is right. The moment Anko-sensei saw me, she stopped. She instantly became the way she always is. Even after killing Nadare, when she made her way over to me, she gave me that warm sensei smile. She presumably carried me to where I was safe. There was no more hatred, no more bloodlust, no more . . . _insanity_, trying to break out.

I've seen Anko-sensei look at a small photograph of us sometimes, like when she thinks everyone else is asleep. The photographer told us we were the only team that universally smiled for our picture. When he took that picture, Anko-sensei was overjoyed to be our sensei, and we all felt happy she was our sensei too. It was like having a playful but smart older sister in charge of us when we took that picture.

But we've all become aware that our sensei was not originally that person. Naruto was aware all along but he trusts our sensei unconditionally. Hinata must've been worried right from the get-go but she kept her concerns silent until this mission. And me . . . I was completely oblivious. Something I don't like to admit, and I don't think I'm going to even hint I was oblivious about this to Mother.

I just don't know. I think about the time Anko-sensei actually wrapped her arm around me just a couple of weeks ago, telling me that she would listen to any concerns I have. That's a kind of trust in a genin that you don't get from most jonin. That my opinion is actually worth something, that if I'm scared or sad there's no shame in admitting it to her.

I can't bring myself to think that's all a mask for a monster. I just can't.

Not when my only images of Anko-sensei are her as sensei, or her when she was just someone I saw hanging around with Ms. Uzumaki a lot. Not until that image of her, bloodied and enraged, brought to the point where she despised Nadare Roga so much that she was going to unleash the darkness inside of her to kill him.

But that one image, matched against hundreds of others, just isn't enough to make me side with Hinata here. Not when everything else she's said or done is . . .

Her words from just a few minutes ago. _"I've trained all three of you the exact opposite of how Orochimaru would've."_

Now it all makes sense. Her teaching style, her personality, the way she fights, the way she talks to us and hugs us and supports us. The exact opposite of Orochimaru the missing-nin, Orochimaru the monster who devours children for being bad, Orochimaru the human snake.

If the way she treats us, so kindly and supportively and openly, is the opposite of Orochimaru's teaching style . . .

Just what did Orochimaru do to her?

How horrible must it have been? How cruel? How vicious?

And she teaches us this way because she doesn't want us to be like she once was, or have to work as hard as she has to in order to be the Anko-sensei we know.

I need to ask her someday. What Orochimaru did. And how she's able to be who she is.

Just so someday I can tell her that . . . that I actually understand.

"Sasuke! What'cha brooding 'bout now?" Naruto yells at me.

Huh. When did we make it to the stairs to the first floor?

"Nothing. Let's just go get something to eat," I reply.

Naruto gives me a weird look, like he always does when he thinks I'm brooding. One of these days I'm gonna tell Naruto that I don't brood. I never have. I'm just _thinking_.

But now's not the right time for that. We're alive, and we should celebrate that. We've survived what is truly an A-ranked mission, or even an S. Genin don't survive that.

We should just enjoy life, because, as Anko-sensei nearly demonstrated, it's so easy to have everything taken away from us.

And have it be our own fault . . .


	42. Koyuki

This marks the end of the twice-a-week updates. They were fun while they lasted.

From this point onwards, this will be updated on Tuesdays and Tuesdays only.

Enjoy the chapter, the five of you who still read this fic for whatever reason.

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Two: Koyuki**

_Kushina Uzumaki_

After I give Koyuki my account of the final battle with Doto Kazahana, Koyuki stares at me for a few seconds. Then she blinks. And then she screams _"WHAT?"_

That word, more than anything else, tells me everything I need to hear, more than her rant does.

"You mean to tell me that you turned on the World's End Stonehedge? That is broke and _absorbed_ my uncle and then you were chased by . . ." Koyuki slams her head into the table we're sitting at. "Damn it! You pair of stupid idiots! You have no idea what you've just done! I oughta have all of you foreign ninja executed for what you've done!"

"She doesn't mean that," Nana Fujikaze says, holding up her hands. "She's just angry."

"_Just_ angry?" Koyuki snarls.

"Yes," Nana Fujikaze says, her eyes glaring at Koyuki. "At least, that is what I _hope_."

What a reversal from when I had seen Nana in her "Nanako" guise being intimidated by Koyuki. Now, it's the exact opposite. Koyuki getting nervous from Nana's fierce, firm stare.

Koyuki sighs and looks away. "I get it, Nana. But you can't blame me for getting angry. The World's End Stonehedge is something powerful, and now we may never be able to access it again or figure out how Kushina here even turned it on."

"I don't think it was 'turned on'," Ryuuzetsu replies curtly. "I think a trap of some kind was activated instead. I think it needed to turn on in a _specific_ way."

"I bet that specific way was not _blasting my uncle into the goddamn thing_," Koyuki growls.

I will not tolerate this woman snapping at me any further. I just killed this man for her, I gave her this cold, frigid land, and could have died or lost my son because of her! That is _it_!

All of a sudden, I've seized Koyuki by her collar and am right in her face. "I will not listen to you berate me _anymore_!" I shout.

Koyuki stares.

"I fought a battle that I did not need to fight for your sake! I killed Doto Kazahana just as you requested! I killed that monster because he was going to start a world war to fulfill his crazy dreams! I nearly died because of it! _My son_ nearly died because of it! My son has images seared into his head that no child ever should see because of Doto Kazahana! You are a despicable little sociopath, Koyuki! You use people and spit them out and I won't listen to your asinine words anymore!"

I look into those cold eyes of hers, and none of what I've said registers. None of it. I can already tell. Koyuki's too far gone for anything I say to have any significance.

I let her go and she falls back into her seat. I've had enough of this crazy country with more technological advancement than it knows what to do with. Why, why couldn't a kinder, gentle country have this much creativity and drive to build these technologies? Use them for good purposes instead of as ways to create mass murder?

And I've had enough of Koyuki. She's manipulated and lied to anyone from Konoha for the last time.

Ryuuzetsu just blinks, and she looks at me. "Wow," the girl finally says.

"I'm sorry, Ryuuzetsu. Don't take my side because you feel that as an ally of Konoha you should," I reply.

Ryuuzetsu shakes her head. "No. You're right. You're absolutely right. We were dragged out here under false pretenses just like you Konoha ninja."

Koyuki chuckles. "So, you're both going to turn down my reward, or my offer of an alliance?"

"I never want to see your face again," I growl. "Or hear your conniving little voice. I'm returning to Konoha, and you can have this frozen wasteland. Play with it to your heart's content, Koyuki. I just can't stand being around you anymore."

"You're making a mistake," Koyuki says. "And keep in mind that if you do this, I will assume you both are speaking for your respective villages."

Is she _really_ going to play that card? Is she really going to do this to me? Especially right now? I just want to be with my son. Naruto seemed to be getting over it when we finally made it to the royal hall, where I left him with Anko and his teammates, but I know the kind of trauma he had to have seen. It's trauma that may not show up right away, not for hours, days, maybe even weeks. But it's going to show up. He may never be able to forget those images that got seared into his brain.

He needs me there. He needs me so he knows I'm okay. That what he saw will never happen to me. And eventually, hopefully, it will leave his mind for good.

It's a struggle to keep tears out of my eyes as I begin to talk. "Koyuki. All you do is view people as pawns to move on some board, things you can sacrifice or discard when they are of no further use for you. I don't view people the way you do. I think people should be treasured, every single individual life, and if that life has gone astray, that life should be rescued, only killed as the last possible resort."

"Doto Kazahana certainly crossed the line, Kushina Uzumaki," Koyuki answers. "I don't understand your point."

Of course you don't. That's because you're a sociopath. "My son is just a pawn to you, someone to serve as fodder for an enemy sword, fodder moderately more talented than typical fodder, but still fodder nevertheless. You have no problems sacrificing him or his teammates to get your hands on a jonin for your mission."

I hear Ryuuzetsu gasp softly behind me. I don't know why she did that, but I'll worry why later.

I lean in on the desk. I'm going to make my point really clear now, and if Koyuki doesn't understand me here, she never will. "But that's not how I view my son. My son is the most precious _anything_ in this world to me. More precious than anything I could ever buy or wear or eat. More precious than gold or diamonds. He is _everything_ to me because he's my child, my brave, wonderful child, who loves me and is worried that I'll die and he'll be left alone in this world."

I wipe my eyes. I was starting to cry again at the end. I don't want to do that, not in front of Koyuki. I don't want her to think I'm weak or too sentimental for my own good. At the same time, though, a part of me has stopped caring about that. Let Koyuki think I'm weak. I'm going to prove her wrong.

"I promised him that would not happen. And it won't. Especially not because of you."

Koyuki raises an eyebrow. "So, because we view one person in entirely different ways, that makes me a sociopath all of a sudden?"

I give up. "You'll never understand."

"Oh, I understand all right," Koyuki says. "I did what I had to do in order to achieve victory and because I _accidentally_ made it personal to you by getting your son involved, you automatically deem me irresponsible and sociopathic. Do you say that to _everyone_ who does something questionable to you or your son, or is this special scorn just for me?"

She still doesn't get it. "If I had chosen not to come, Koyuki, my son would be dead."

Koyuki raises her eyebrow again. "How so?"

"Doto Kazahana had a trap set for anyone who tried to kill him. First a hundred ashigaru, all armed with the teppou. And, if anyone got past them, Nadare Roga and his ninja were waiting to cut the surviving intruders down. Do you honestly think Anko Mitarashi and her genin would have had the power to break through all of that just to face Doto Kazahana, much less kill him, without me?"

Koyuki's face remains impassive. I just want to reach out and strangle her for her lack of compassion. She's a dead soul lurking inside a breathing body, no sense of heart or love. "My son would be dead. His teammates would be dead. And their sensei would be dead. And, likely, the Kusa and Oto ninja would have died too, and you would have lost, or, at the very least, would have taken a lot more casualties."

"I would have won," Koyuki says. "Jiraiya would have made sure of it."

That's it! I am not listening to her impudence anymore!

"How dare you! How dare you not show a single moment of-"

"Kushina Uzumaki, you make yourself more pathetic with every word you speak."

_What_?

"This is why you were so easy to manipulate, Kushina Uzumaki. You live on emotion. You're addicted to it, particularly your love for your son."

She smiles slightly, and her eyes narrow. "I can tell what kind of person you are, Kushina Uzumaki. You are a self-loathing woman who sacrifices herself for the sake of those you care about, and you are filled with maternal love. More maternal love than I have ever seen before, in fact. This makes you altruistic and kind, and strong when you are protecting others . . . but also makes you exceedingly _stupid_ and naive. In the end, Kushina Uzumaki, you would be a feared terror if you could separate your emotions from your actions, but as you let your emotions and feelings guide you, you are just a manipulated _fool_."

She . . . she just tore everything down, everything that I stand for, everything that I feel. She just tore it out and stomped on it, without a moment of remorse. Now that I'm no longer of any use of her, and since she knows I have no intention of letting Konoha being of any use to her either, she doesn't care what she says to me.

"How . . . how can you live with yourself, Koyuki? How can you look at the mirror in the morning without any regrets, without thinking that you've become some sort of monster?" I ask.

Koyuki's slight smile remains. "It's something I was taught the hard way by Doto Kazahana. My father was a compassionate individual, and that meant nothing when my uncle murdered him. My mother loved life, she was always smiling, filled with joy and energy, and she wound up getting sliced in half. This is the only way I could overthrow Doto Kazahana and rule my country, by not letting myself feel a single, solitary, _thing_. That way my uncle Doto would not be able to turn my emotions against me, not even for a second. That was how I had to survive, and that's how I had to win."

"But you don't _live_ this way!" I shout.

"Your definition of _living_ is different than my own, Kushina Uzumaki," Koyuki replies. "In order for me to _live_, I needed to be someone without emotion, invulnerable to manipulation and psychological warfare. Where everything was a calculation. Where people couldn't be used against me."

I'm amazed her voice hasn't fluctuated once. She's stayed even all this time, not raising her voice, not showing a hint of strong emotion, not showing any kinds of pain or remorse. What have I given this country to? Why did I fight for a woman who clearly does not feel at all?

Suddenly, Ryuuzetsu interrupts. "You are an idiot."

"Hmm?" Koyuki turns her attention to Ryuuzetsu all of a sudden.

"You know, I was thinking the same thing a few days ago. That I should just cut myself off from people, get stronger on my own, that the only way for me to live was to be alone. And then Kushina Uzumaki's son gave me a different way. A way that involves being with people, that involves having allies and friends working together with me to stop my foe," Ryuuzetsu says.

I hadn't known Naruto had spoken to Ryuuzetsu at all. When did this happen? And what did he say to Ryuuzetsu exactly?

"You're right. Your friends and allies could die and be used against you. You'll feel pain and sorrow this way. But . . . it's better than feeling nothing at all, isn't it?" Ryuuzetsu asks. She looks at her hand, which makes a fist. "Pain reminds you that you are alive, every bit as much as love and hatred and all other emotions and feelings. It's all connected, Koyuki."

She looks up at Koyuki then. "So you can take your pretentious emotionless crap and shove it up your _ass_! Goodbye!"

She spins around and walks away, slamming the door behind her. Koyuki shakes her head. "She's foolish, listening to the ideals of a young boy over her own decisions."

"That young boy is my son," I reply.

I take a deep breath. It's clear now that Koyuki will never understand. She'll refuse to understand. She is so set in her ways that nothing I say or do will ever convince her otherwise. She believes me to be a fool, and until I prove her wrong someday, she will always think that of me.

"And that young boy gives me joy every day I am alive. He is Naruto Uzumaki, my son, and despite all of the hardships in his life, despite all of the emotions he feels, his spirit has never broken. There is another way besides yours, Koyuki, and that is the way of my son."

The perfect conclusion pops into my head. "And the way of my son is what's going to make this world better. Farewell, Koyuki. We will depart tomorrow."

I turn and walk out the door, and slam it behind me.

Then I realize I was missing a rather important coda.

I re-open the door. "And yes, Fuu survived the battle. Thanks for asking."

I slam the door, and it makes a satisfying _thunk_.

I move on.

* * *

Jiraiya sighs after I tell him everything that happened, including the demise of Doto Kazahana. He's the only one I can really trust with this kind of information, I know it's not going to spread with him.

We've arrived back in the hotel, and I've already packaged up everything I brought with that I haven't used up. I'd love to leave right now if I could, but it's already dark outside, and everyone's too exhausted and injured to try to walk right now. It'd be better to wait until morning.

"Konoha could have used an alliance with the Land of Snow," Jiraiya says. "You shouldn't have let yourself take Koyuki's bait. You should've held your tongue and allowed me to speak with her."

"She insulted everything I believe in, Jiraiya. You expect me to not respond to that? You expect me to just sit and take it from her?"

"She _wanted_ you to blow up, which you did. For whatever reason, I get the impression she didn't want to fulfill the alliance part of our contract terms. She sought you out and made sure to push your buttons so you'd dash any hopes of there being a permanent relationship between our countries. And you took out any shot Kusa had of gaining such a relationship either, which I'm sure Koyuki regards as a bonus."

"That makes no sense, Jiraiya. Why would she want to throw out a contract term with us that she negotiated and wanted to begin with?"

"She could have many reasons. I can't say for sure what they could be, but there's many possibilities, and if I went over them with you right now, I'd either bore you to tears or drown you in paranoia." Jiraiya gives me a wry smile. "I've already drowned in paranoia. A little bit more ain't gonna hurt me at this point. But you deserve better than that."

I know he's trying to make me feel better, he's trying to soften the blow of what he's said a little. He's also trying to say that philosophically he doesn't disagree with me. But . . .

"I may have fallen into her trap, but that doesn't mean anything to me, Jiraiya. She insulted me right down to the core. Right down to the things I cherish most. I just couldn't take it anymore, Jiraiya."

He puts a hand on my shoulder. He's trying to comfort me, and his hand feels strong and firm. But I don't let myself collapse. I won't do it. I'm going to be strong until I go home. Then I'll cry, in the safety of my own home, when Naruto's asleep or away on a mission, where no one will feel an obligation to show concern for me.

"She tore down everything I live for, Jiraiya. I'm not going to take that from anyone. Especially about my son."

Damn it, I feel the heat in my eyes, and my vision's blurring. Damn it, not now. Not now. "W-When I returned home for the first time, Jiraiya, and I saw my son . . . I . . . I realized how s-stupid I was to isolate myself from everyone and everything. I-I just can't turn off what I feel. Even when I was alone, in that cabin in the forest, I could not turn my feelings off. I'm just not that kind of person, Jiraiya. I'm n-not cut out for what Koyuki has become."

Stop it. Stop crying. Stop it. Why? Why does Jiraiya have to see you break down too? Why? Why can't I stop?

I can't help it. I see the flashes of my son from the last four years, from the first moment I saw his face at three in the morning in Anko's apartment to him in my arms right after we escaped from that eerie, unnatural trap I had triggered. I know why I can't turn my feelings off. I know why I cry. I know why I laugh. I know what gives me the strength to lift boulders above my head and the weakness that I can't stand up sometimes.

It all revolves around Naruto. The moment I saw him, there was no turning back for me. The way I live my life_ hurts_, hurts so much I can barely stand it, but when I am happy, I feel alive in a way I can't describe in words. When my son smiles at me, I feel like I have done something right, something incredible, that my life has accomplished something greater than anything else I have done or will do.

In those many, far too many nights when I have cried myself awake, Naruto is there, comforting me, those beautiful blue eyes reminiscent of Minato giving me warmth and peace. He reminds me that I am not alone anymore, that I have something to live for, that I am no longer the living ghost I was for eight whole years. That I am a human being again, that I am loved, that everything I do has meaning.

And when he cries . . . in those rare moments when Naruto is weak, I am his shield, his blanket, his guardian, his angel. He knows that I love him and I will drop everything I am doing to be with him in that instant. That I will never abandon him, that I will wipe his tears away, that I will bring back his strength and renew his spirit so he can take off like he always does with his signature vigor, ready to tackle the unknown once again.

How can I explain this to Jiraiya? Jiraiya, who abdicated his responsibility over my son? Jiraiya, the pervert who . . .

I can't explain this to anyone. It's something only another mother would understand. This combination of feelings and emotion and love and strength and weakness. Though maybe Minato would have understood. He knew me better than I knew myself.

Jiraiya's words jar me back into reality. "Kushina, you and Koyuki are vastly different people, and each of you dealt with your loneliness and isolation in basically the exact opposite of ways. You refused to let go, and Koyuki refused to hold on."

"And who is right?" I ask. "Her or me?"

Jiraiya chuckles humorlessly. "Your way brings a lot of pain and suffering into your life, but your way . . . is the humane way. Because it values the human life, yours and everyone else's."

He looks at me, completely serious. "Now I must be going. Koyuki is not going to be pleased with me, I left precious little of Doto's teppou intact. In fact . . ."

He brings out one of the teppou, clutching it in his hands. "I would like for you to bring this back to old man Sarutobi. He and the Council need to see this. We need to be ready for this weapon. It will enter the Land of Fire in our lifetimes. We must begin preparations to adjust to it."

I take the teppou from him. "I understand, but . . . where are you going?"

"You know me," Jiraiya says with that familiar grin of his. "I'm going to galavant around, and do some exotic research, and be a general wandering sage. But I'll probably return in time for the Chuunin Exams in Konoha. If your son enters, Kushina, I look forward to seeing how well he does."

He's thinking about _that_, huh? "I'm not even sure if Naruto will enter this go-around. He's only been a genin for a short amount of time, same with his teammates."

Jiraiya chuckles. "Lack of experience didn't stop you or Minato from attempting the Exams and passing them, Kushina."

"Naruto isn't me," I reply. What's Jiraiya getting at here?

"You're right. He's his own person. And if he's anything like his parents, he ain't going to wait another six months to show what he can do. He's going to plow straight ahead, damn the consequences." Jiraiya grins. "I betcha I'm right, aren't I?"

Unfortunately . . . "That sounds like Naruto, all right."

"You see? Now I must be off. I'll see you soon, Kushina. We can have a true reunion once I return to Konoha."

"All right," I say softly. I watch him go. He's always like this, affable and strong and a little silly, but with this little current of understanding. What a confounding man. And yet I cannot bring myself to despise him. All it takes is a few moments with him and all of the anger I've built up over the years is deflated. Just like that.

"Please try to write a sequel to 'The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi' sometime," I say to him. "That book was genuinely wonderful."

Jiraiya turns back to grin at me. "I need to please my audience, Kushina."

Of course. "Even if the audience was just me?"

"We'll see," Jiraiya says knowingly, and he gives me a wave before he vanishes into the hall.

He'll always be a confounding man.

And yet, in spite of it, or even _because_ of it, he'll always be my friend.

Whether I like it or not.

* * *

The next morning, we all depart. The Kusa ninja had all arrived from a different port, so we were going to take divergent paths back to our respective homes. That means the Kusa ninja weren't going to walk with us long. The Oto ninja had already left during the middle of the night, vanishing like they had never even been there. Like ghosts. I didn't like it but there's nothing I can do about it. Though perhaps I will see them again during the Chuunin Exams.

Ryuuzetsu actually walks more with us than with her team during the trip back. She doesn't really participate in the conversations Naruto's team and Fuu are having, but she has this wry little smile while listening it, a little smile that gets just a bit wider when Naruto is talking. I wonder why that is. How Naruto's been able to catch her attention so.

How did he somehow catch her eye? Is she going to be a friend of his someday?

"S-ranked mission!" Naruto proclaims proudly. "I don't think any other genin in the Chuunin Exams have _that_ on their records! That's gonna make us look badass!"

"There's no way we would've survived it without one of the Sannin or some other S-ranked jonin like your mom," Sasuke says, ever the realist.

"Well, guess what? We had one of the Sannin _and_ an S-ranked jonin! So what if it's my mom? We lived through it, didn't we?" Naruto asks.

Sasuke just smiles. "Yeah, guess we did."

Naruto grins. "Besides, you, Fuu, and Hinata beat that A-ranked dude, Miyore, right? You guys earned it! I just kinda helped my mom out a little."

Sasuke looks down at that comment. I had heard he had dealt the finishing blow on Miyore along with Fuu. Fuu's taken it pretty well, but I suspect she's killed before and has been pretending she hasn't. Miyore was Sasuke's first kill. That's the one that sticks with you the most.

"I suppose so," is all Sasuke says.

"We _all_ have an S-ranked mission on our records now," Ryuuzetsu says calmly. "We'll be targeted if anyone finds that out in the Chuunin Exams."

"Let 'em come. I ain't afraid of them. Not after what just happened. Genin ain't gonna scare me in comparison to a crazy power-hungry warlord!" Naruto replies.

There's an melancholy undertone to Naruto's words that I'm not even sure _he's_ aware of. I know that what Doto shoved into Naruto's head is sticking with him. He may never forget it. But he's right. The mysteries and strength of genin pale in comparison to Doto Kazahana. In some twisted way, facing what he did may give Naruto the strength to move beyond his trauma with killing intent.

I just have to hope Naruto's spirit stays strong enough that he doesn't become like Koyuki.

"You're so confident," Ryuuzetsu says. "Even when you shouldn't be."

"It's better than being scared," Naruto says. "Besides, this way, I just _do_ it. No trying, no hesitation. That's what I'm gonna do from now on. I'm gonna stop hesitating."

Anko sighs from behind them. "You know, there's something to be said about thinking things through every now and then, Naruto."

Naruto chuckles at that and scratches the back of his head. It's just like nothing ever happened, but now that I've seen it, the vulnerability he hides, I know this confidence is partially a mask.

But I also know it's real. This is Naruto when he's strong. When his spirit is at its peak. This authenticity, the way he makes you believe in what you saying, there's no way he'd pull it off if he was not honest about it. There'd always be a lingering doubt in your mind if you listened to him otherwise.

"Ryuuzetsu," Haijime Kuroishi says. "This is where we part ways."

"Got it, Haijime-sensei." She gives Naruto a casual wave. "See you soon."

"I'll see you at the Chuunin Exams, Ryuuzetsu," Naruto says. "Don't go opening any creepy Special Box of Doohickey-ness."

Ryuuzetsu chuckles. "I won't."

'Special Box of Doohickey-ness'? What the heck is _that_?

You know what, a part of me thinks I'm better of not knowing for now. I'll stay out of this one until I feel _ready_ to be informed.

"Bye!" Ryuuzetsu gives us all a wave, and she's joined by her fellow, much younger, genin in waving at us, before they go their own ways.

So, they're going to join the Chuunin Exams too. Something tells me that Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata have a tough road ahead of them, thanks to that Demon Lantern technique of Ryuuzetsu's. And I doubt that's the only trick in Ryuuzetsu's arsenal too. There's an odd symbol in her eyes that have to signify _something_. What it is, I don't know, but I'm sure I'm going to find out eventually.

"I can't wait to face her in the exams," Naruto says.

"Got a crush on her, Naruto?" Sasuke asks, clearly teasing.

"What? No, I don't got a crush on . . . gah, now you got me all confused and stuff!" Naruto's face turns red.

"Naruto and Ryuuzetsu, sleepin' in a tree," Fuu begins singing.

"Stop it! What is with you guys? One little talk with her about some freaky box or somethin' and you guys just assume stuff!" Naruto wails.

He pauses, then points at Fuu. "And since when do you care? You're from Taki! This is Konoha and Kusa stuff!"

"Ooh, so you _do_ like Ryuuzetsu, if this is 'Kusa' stuff' too," Fuu says.

"Gah! No, t-that's not what I meant!" Naruto makes a growling noise. "I hate you all."

Poor Naruto. Still, I'm not going to intervene. He's twelve years old. I'm not too worried about a serious relationship with a girl yet. I feel a bit sorry for Hinata though, she's just watching this happen, and I know she has a crush on my son and she's just fidgeting with her hands while this is going on. Naruto's aware of it now, though I wouldn't be surprised if he's forgotten about it.

Hinata's a nice girl. She'd make a good first date for Naruto, though Hinata's father gets on my nerves. Fuu . . . I'd be a bit concerned about. If Fuu and Naruto had kids together they'd blow up the world with their sheer amount of energy.

Wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. Why am I imagining grandkids right now?

I'm just going to get these kids home first! Home where it's safe.

Home where their destiny lies . . . as well as mine . . .

And where the destiny of the teppou in my pack will be settled as well. Likely permanently.

But for now, I'll just enjoy this bout of childish teasing. They won't be kids for much longer.

The Chuunin Exams is the end of childhood as much as anything else . . .

* * *

THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE ARC. THERE IS ONE MORE CHAPTER TO GO.

Kushina can't change people. She is not Naruto. She doesn't have Naruto's endless charisma. Thus, Koyuki ends this arc even worse than where she began, because in Koyuki's eyes, her behavior this whole time has been justified, she won, Kushina's scorn be damned.

This will be the last chapter labeled "Kushina Uzumaki". There will not be another POV switch for a very long time.


	43. Colors of Her Heart

Well, this marks the end of the replacement for the Land of Waves arc, my adaptation of Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow.

I enjoy certain concepts shown in the movies and I plan on using several of them in this story, except the events will all mean something in regards to the overall story.

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Three: Colors of Her Heart**

When we finally return to Konoha in the late afternoon two weeks after departing The Land of Snow, I just want to collapse into bed in my apartment. I don't want to have to deal with reporting in to Hiruzen. I don't want to do anything. I just want to sleep in the warmth and safety of my bed, with my son sleeping in the room next to me, no worries, no danger. But I know I can't do anything like that. I've got something important to show Hiruzen, and this mission became mine just as much as it became Team 7's, maybe even more so as I took the lead in assassinating Doto Kazahana.

I've sent letters to Konoha since we returned to the Land of Fire, telling them what happened and what the mission turned out to be. Hiruzen's replies weren't much, but they did say that our payment had been turned into the equivalent of an S-ranked mission. So even though bridges with Koyuki had been burned, she had still paid Konoha handsomely for the job we had done.

So, after turning off my traps I had set in my home (more than one looks to have gone off so someone _did_ try to break in and got humiliated for his/her effort), I left Naruto and Fuu behind and followed Anko up towards the Hokage's residence. Naruto is clearly less than thrilled about the idea of Fuu staying with us until the Chuunin Exams, but when Fuu asked me if she could I couldn't say no. Besides, it'll lessen her punishment for running away from Konoha and driving the village into a panic. I _do_ need Hiruzen's permission for that though, he had been noncommittal about it in his replies to my letters.

Anko gives me a weird little smile when we walk through Konoha's streets. "What is it?" I ask.

"You have some weird traps set by the looks of them. The one involving the catapult seems to be overdoing it a little."

"None of them are lethal, and besides, they'll know not to break in again because they'll remember what happened to them," I reply.

Anko's weird smile grows wider and goofier. "Sure. By the way, can I copy the seal that creates that catapult? It's a-"

"No."

"Aww."

Anko's giving me the sad puppy face. Not gonna work on me, Anko. I've had enough of those directed to me by Naruto that I've grown immune to its powers. "Anko, I'll give you instructions on some of the _other_, less elaborate traps that are more practical for an apartment, all right? Including on how to avoid accidentally activating them on yourself."

"Thank you! For both things," Anko says with a chuckle.

I look around this village. Even though a whole month has passed, it just doesn't feel much different. The vegetables and fruits being sold by vendors have changed a little, and people generally try to stay out of my way. I'm still not worth as much as a "hello" to the typical Konoha citizen.

I wish I could accept that or change that because this status quo is driving me insane. I seem to be missing that _something_ that can change their opinions of me, and I refuse to give in and accept their ignorance and loathing. Something has to give somewhere.

And it's going to have to give soon. This uncomfortable, stifling status quo just can't be _this_ way for much longer, not without something hitting fever pitch. Not without someone crossing the line.

But who that someone will be I just do not know . . .

* * *

Hiruzen just grunts as I hand him the teppou in my hands at the end of our debriefing with him. "_This_ weapon," Hiruzen says softly, like he's seen it before.

Anko, in fact, voices my very same thought. "Have you seen this before, Lord Hokage?"

Hiruzen stares at it one more time, and then looks up at Anko and I. "What I am about to say is classified information. Word of this must not leave this office. Neither can this weapon."

"That basically means 'yes'," Anko moans.

Hiruzen's eyes seem to gaze off into the distance, or like he's entering a realm visible only in his mind, like he is remembering something he had forgotten for years and years. "It's in a different form, and a different name, every time, but the basic concept is the same: a weapon that takes less time to learn than the crossbow, is quicker to train on than any other weapon, and can penetrate most armor. This 'teppou' is yet another incarnation of a base weapon called the 'gun'."

His eyes suddenly stare right at us, like he can see through us like we're invisible. "This weapon is the greatest threat to our livelihoods and the current status of the world. It has the potential to upend everything, it puts foot soldiers on a level comparable to samurai or ninja. This will threaten our standing in the world, and ultimately cause high casualties among our genin, making training them difficult or impossible in the way we currently do so. That's discounting the fact that anyone below S-rank can be killed by this weapon due to its ammunition due to the fact that it can pierce many armors."

Hiruzen shakes his head. "Konoha's official policy regarding this weapon is to destroy it and any documents pertaining to its manufacture or its design are to be burned. It's not a well-known policy, as we don't want public knowledge of the gun, but it's there. And we always make sure that policy is followed to the letter, knowingly or unknowingly, by those who encounter this weapon."

"Jiraiya asked me to bring this one back to you," I reply. "I believe Jiraiya destroyed most of the supply dumps that stored this weapon. Was that the policy at work?"

"It was." Hiruzen sighs as he stares at the teppou one more time. "But the reason why Jiraiya would send this is because he's not sure the policy will work this time. I can see by the teppou's design that it is much easier to construct than any other guns I have encountered. It's likely inexpensive compared to the other guns I've seen. The teppou's production may not be stopped, not completely. Not unless the Land of Snow can be brought to see reason on this."

"So, basically, you're saying that this weapon may soon become public knowledge," I reply.

"It won't," says an aged, low voice that sounds like it is full of gravel. It takes me a moment to place the voice, I have not encountered him much, even after my return to Konoha.

I turn around and I see Danzo Shimura standing behind us, one of his eyes covered in bandage wraps like always. He has a grizzled, worn appearance, and I know he's faced incredible hardship and torture in his life. But here he is, still as indomitable as he's ever been, and he's just entered the conversation.

"I will dispatch my finest operatives to the Land of Snow, Hiruzen," Danzo says, ignoring formality in favor of familiarity with his appeal. "We will make sure the teppou is an item never thought up again for a long time."

"Danzo," Hiruzen replies. "I know the extent of this threat as well as anyone. Also, this was supposed to be a private chat between Anko Mitasrashi and Kushina Uzumaki."

"I wish to participate in this chat," Danzo says curtly. "Surely you don't mind if I do, Hiruzen. This is not the first time I've seen a gun myself."

"I mind," I say to him. I know Danzo Shimura far too well. He always has an ulterior motive for everything he does, and his solutions to problems almost _always_ involve violence, preferably quick, vicious violence. And I still remember Mikoto's words from four years ago, when she said that Danzo was ultimately responsible for the death of the Uchiha clan. While Danzo was found innocent, I have a strong feeling he found a way to wash his hands of the whole thing, or had some sort of alibi ready, and likely had either or both prepared well in advance.

I don't trust him. He hasn't earned one iota of trust from me at _all_.

"Kushina Uzumaki," Danzo says softly. "You have a lot of nerve saying that to me after all the times you have abandoned Konoha to serve your own self-interests . . . including what you have just done in being absent from duty for an entire month so you could hover over your child in the Land of Snow. Say what you will about what I've done or you _suspect_ what I have done, but I have never left Konoha to the wolves the way you have and continue to do so."

He _had_ to go and say that to me. You don't understand me at _all_, Danzo. You don't understand anything than what fits into your tiny little worldview.

Before I can reply out loud, Hiruzen interrupts. "Danzo, as your old friend and comrade, if your goal here is only to provoke an argument with a trusted S-rank jonin, I will be forced to ask you to leave."

"I understand." Danzo grunts as he sits down in the nearest chair. "I don't have anything else to say to her."

I have _plenty_ I want to say to _you_, Danzo, but I don't want Hiruzen to give me the same threat. That would just suit _your_ purposes somehow, I bet.

"I feel just a bit out of my league here," Anko says with an uncomfortable smile on her face.

"You're not," I say, and smile at her. "You're a jonin as well, Anko."

I need to keep building Anko back up. I tore her down in a ruthless way back in the Land of Snow. I want her to stay my friend. I have precious few friends here and I could be losing Mikoto if I don't do something and soon. I don't want to lose Anko. I still have to force myself to forgive her for what she did to my son, but _this_ Anko Mitarashi is worthy of forgiveness.

Anko has never become a daughter to me, in spirit or by adoption, but she is a close friend. I need her to stay exactly who she is, the kind, energetic sensei to Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata. And Konoha will be better off if Anko stays exactly who she is, too. Anko will not regress because I could not control my anger.

Danzo makes a grumbling sound at my words, and I force my retort to not come flying out of my throat. Danzo has never respected Anko, and he has always doubted Anko's loyalty to Konoha as well.

Anko, however, is not one to mince words. "Is there something wrong, Danzo Shimura?"

Danzo shakes his head. "None. I'd like to resume our topic if you don't mind. Kushina is correct, you _are_ a full-fledged jonin and have every right to participate."

He takes a breath. "Also, you have my respect for bringing three genin back from a mission that went as wrong as it did. It was with Kushina Uzumaki's assistance, but Nadare Roga _was_ in Konoha's bingo book and eliminating him is worthy of respect as well."

Huh. Danzo Shimura actually conceding a point. I hope I haven't blundered into a genjutsu, because I know I'm not dreaming right now. I wish I had something, anything, to record this moment and play it back whenever I want to, because I don't know if I'll ever see this happening again.

Anko grins. "That's right. Just like I told old ma-I mean, Lord Hokage, I can be a full-fledged jonin, and I just proved why."

Danzo does not answer her. I don't think he likes having to congratulate Anko. I know he was _really_ against her becoming a full jonin. Instead, he looks at Hiruzen. "On the topic of this 'teppou', it seems to have a streamlined design compared to the other guns I've seen invented over the years. Of course, this is the first gun manufactured by the Land of Snow, the others were . . . overindulgent pieces of wood and metal made by people who did not have much of a clue of what they're doing."

"It sounds like they were beginning to mass-produce it," Hiruzen says. "Jiraiya thinks he has damaged their capability to do that by attacking all of the known supply caches under the guise of devastating Doto Kazahana's army, but chances are he and his network did not find every single teppou and destroy it."

"How would the teppou completely change everything for us?" Anko asks. "We're pretty well-established. I mean, I know it evens the odds a little, but that Teleportation Barrier that Kushina unleashed made all of the bullets fired useless."

"Not every ninja knows the Teleportation Barrier," Danzo says. "Or have some type of countermeasure against this weapon. It would be efficent at killing genin in particular. This weapon, if it became widespread, would make it much more dangerous and lethal to train genin, and that would mean a gradual decline in ninja. It is not hard to envision a day where we ninja are reduced to secretive cabals because of the teppou killing so many genin that we can't replenish our forces."

Cold and calculating way to put it, Danzo, but I'd expect nothing less from you. "Perhaps it would be better if we learned how to appropriately use this weapon ourselves."

Danzo's usually-impassive face glares at me. "We would not be _ninja_ if we used this, Kushina. We'd be something else."

Danzo, again, just does not understand me. "If this weapon continues to be invented, it's going to take hold eventually, no matter how many times we destroy the weapon incarnations. I think we should prepare for the day it does become widespread because it's going to happen soon," I say.

"It won't happen anytime soon if my people are dispatched to go after the teppou," Danzo says. "Hiruzen knows what I mean. I have destroyed or supervised the destruction of every single gun invention we know of."

"And you have my authorization to do so again," Hiruzen says. "Go and begin the operation immediately."

Danzo nods. "Thank you, old friend."

Did Hiruzen completely miss my point too? What's he saying by doing this right in front of me? But his eyes are serious, very serious, and that stops me from protesting right here and now as Danzo gets up and leaves, shutting the door quietly behind him.

"This will keep Danzo occupied for a while. He has Konoha's best intentions at heart but I know you are right, that we can't delay this from happening forever," Hiruzen says. "We're going to need to create defenses against the gun, and form an effective offensive against them. That is how we're going to adopt to any changes that might happen."

"But you still ordered Danzo to go and destroy the teppou," I reply.

"I would prefer that if the gun is invented again and it sticks, that it is not as elegantly made as the teppou here in front of me," Hiruzen replies. "I'd prefer if it was a more . . . _incompetent_version of the weapon."

Anko chuckles. "Guess you're right about that, Lord Hokage."

I guess I see Hiruzen's point as well. And that's why he's Hokage, he saw both sides and found a compromise. Danzo gets to wipe out the teppou, and in the meantime he's going to start the beginning of how we're going to combat the so-called "gun" when it does finally enter common usage. That way Konoha will stay strong for a long time to come.

"I understand," is all I say.

Hiruzen nods. "Thank you. You both are dismissed as well. I want you both to get a lot of rest tonight, you and the genin have all earned it."

"Thank you, Lord Hokage," I say. "And what about the Fuu situation that I've told you about?"

Hiruzen grins wryly. "Fuu is to report for her new security regulations bright and early tomorrow morning. But your solution of having her stay with you has merit and I grant your permission."

Well then. That makes it easy. "Thank you. That means a lot."

"_Everything_ means a lot, Kushina."

It takes me a while to figure out what exactly that means.

* * *

Hiruzen's little comment is still swimming in my head when Anko and I part ways. "I'm gonna do a little bit of shopping with my S-rank pay," Anko says cheerfully. "Preferably to get something shiny."

Typical Anko. "You go ahead and do that. I'm just going to go home and collapse on my bed and worry about what to do with my pay tomorrow," I reply.

"Have fun with that," Anko says, and she gives me a wave as she walks towards the shopping district.

I return the wave, and set off for home. Right as I get underway, I realize the perfect dinner for Naruto as a "welcome home" present for all of us, especially as I don't have the energy to cook right now. I'm going to order from Ichiraku Ramen and bring it home, and Naruto's eyes will lit up brighter than the sun and then he'll devour it. And Fuu . . . I'm not sure she's tried Ichiraku Ramen yet. I guess this is the perfect time for her to try.

So I take a different way home than usual, heading right for the ramen shop. The buildings along the way are mostly residential with a few stores interspersed. Most of these businesses double as homes, they tend to be small specialty shops, like the Yamanakas with their flower store. They make some beautiful bouquets, I remember Minato giving me a Yamanaka bouquet right after he proposed to me.

That is such a beautiful memory. I'm never letting _that_ one go. It was a bouquet centered around wildflowers, to symbolize how much of a free spirit Minato found me to be. They were not the largest or showiest flowers, but they are tough flowers who are beautiful in their own unique, special ways. Which was how Minato found me to be . . . and he was right about that. He knew me better than I knew myself back then.

When Naruto gives his girlfriend his first bouquet of flowers, I'm going to point him here, maybe even help him out with his selection. Especially if Naruto's girlfriend doesn't wind up being Hinata. I don't think Hinata would be picky about flowers but a _different_ girl possibly would.

Of course, this is considering the possibility of Hinata's father even letting her date. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't permit her to date boys outside the clan.

Why am I thinking about this again? They're twelve years old! Crushes and puppy love is all that's gonna happen right now! Get this out of your head, Kushina. It's a distraction.

Right after I pass by the Yamanaka flower shop, I see a house that looks a little run-down to my left. I've seen this house many times, it always look this way, slightly run-down, but it never is up for sale or shows signs that tenants don't live here. I've always been curious who lives here but while there's a light on upstairs sometimes the lights downstairs are almost never on and the blinds are usually shut when it's daytime. It doesn't help there's no name on the residence either.

Sometimes I think about asking someone, but it just feels _weird_ to ask about a house that I have no business with. Still, I take a look at it. The paint job looks rushed and amateur, and so do the visible repairs on the house to cover up cracks in the foundation and in the roof. Like someone learning how to do it as he went.

There's no light on upstairs this time. Does that mean whoever lives here is currently out and about? Or sleeping, perhaps?

I don't know. It just looks strange. I don't even know why I feel drawn to this place. It feels like I should know who lives here, like there's a piece to a metaphorical puzzle that I'm missing, but I can't quite make the pieces fit. But it really does feel like I should know.

Wait. Something's not right in the air.

I can feel it. Bloodlust.

Someone is here. Someone is watching me.

He's from my right. Close. Really-

I spin and then I see _her_.

The pink-haired girl with the sheepdog bangs and the prematurely muscular body.

She looks at me with those piercing jade eyes and smiles in the same edgy way as the last time I encountered her. "Hello, Kushina."

Sakura Haruno. She had nearly snuck up on me. A _genin_ nearly snuck up on _me_.

"Ms. Uzumaki," I correct, and I force myself to calm down. Showing nervousness is a _very_ bad idea right now. There's no reason to. She's a _genin_! She's twelve years old!

Sakura chuckles. "Please, Kushina. Let's not do this_ again_. Like I said, I am_ very_ familiar with your work. I think I have more than earned the right to refer to you on first-name basis."

She walks around me, and I keep my eyes firmly focused on her. "Like what I've done with the place, Kushina? My parents can't exactly maintain the upkeep anymore. Haven't been able to for twelve years now."

Damn it, why didn't I realize this earlier? "This is _your_ house, Sakura?"

"Mm-hmm." Sakura continues to walk in a circle around me, her eyes pearing through her bangs, that sick, edgy smile etched on her face like it's glued onto her. "That's right. It's _my_ house. Why? Interested in taking it off my hands, like you took my parents' ability to function like normal human beings off of _their_ hands?"

"Sakura, no. It's not like that at all," I say. I can't keep my heart from slamming against my chest. I should not be this scared. But Sakura somehow _is_. There's something really, _really_ off about her, and I don't like it.

She just keeps _circling_ me like a shark around prey! Why is she going out of her way to unsettle me? Why?

It's the bloodlust I sense from her. It's strong. It's not like how it was before. It's different. Like she's killed recently. And wants to do it again.

Wait . . . didn't Anko say that Sakura's team had been assigned a mission guarding a builder in the Land of Waves right before Team 7 had been assigned the Snow mission? I can faintly remember Anko or someone else saying that. What if . . . what if Sakura . . .

Oh _shit_.

"You're scared of me." Sakura chuckles softly as she leans in a little bit closer, those eyes widening just a little, her pupils absorbing just a little of the irises in her eyes. "I can hear it. Your heart, you can't hide it, not like the way you can hide your breathing."

The smile widens too, showing teeth. "Your heart betrays everything, Kushina. But that's the same for most people. That's something I learned a long time ago. I have to make my heart mean _nothing_, Kushina, otherwise, it'll betray me too."

"Sakura, please, stop," I say. This is becoming something out of my worst nightmares, and I have no idea how to stop it. That fact is scaring me just as much as Sakura is right now.

"What'cha gonna do if I don't?" Sakura asks, chuckling.

"Sakura, I know it was my fault, what happened to your parents, what happened to _you_. But doing this to me doesn't solve _anything_. Just let me-"

"Just let you _what_, Kushina?" Suddenly, that smile vanishes, and Sakura's eyes glower at me, full of hatred. Her voice becomes a twisted version of its usual self, seeming to nearly _hiss_ at me as she speaks. "'Make it up to you', I'm sure that's what you were gonna say, right?"

"Sakura-"

"I don't need your goddamn favors, _bitch_. You've done enough _to_ me. Any acts of kindness you could give me are pitiful, they're meant to make _you_ feel better about yourself. I don't need a single _second_ of kindness, sympathy, what have you, from _you_. What I want . . . is something _different_."

Sakura stops again in front of me, and licks her lips. That eerie smile of hers returns as she begins talking. "I killed a jonin in the Land of Waves, Kushina. He was supposed to be some big tough guy. Zabuza, his name was? A missing-nin? He wasn't so tough, he took me lightly and he paid the price. I got behind him while he was fighting Kurenai and I snapped his neck."

No . . . no way. There's no way Sakura should be capable of killing a _jonin_ yet. I know Sasuke and Fuu killed Miyore, but there were three genin, including Hinata going against Miyore, and they said that Miyore had fought others before them too! Plus I had roughed Miyore up a little before he fought Sasuke and Fuu! It's just . . . just . . .

"Impossible," I say aloud.

Sakura's grin grows wider. "I knew you'd say that. You don't believe me, do you? You think I'm just a weak little genin, don't you?"

"Sakura, that's not what I'm saying at all. Now please stop playing this game."

"What game?" Sakura asks. "What kind of game are we playing, Kushina?"

"Sakura-"

"What game, Kushina? I don't see anyone keeping score here. I don't see any sign of a goddamn game, Kushina."

She's losing it. Right in front of me. She's going to lose it and attack me. Stop her. Stop right now, with something, anything that can disarm her of this raw _intensity_!

"How did it feel, Sakura?" That's the first thing I could come up with.

Just as I intended it makes Sakura freeze, _finally_. "Hmm?"

"How did it feel, Sakura? Killing this jonin named Zabuza?" I ask.

Sakura looks down, her bangs hiding her eyes. "How . . . it felt?"

She pauses, just for a second. "It . . . it felt so . . ."

Her eyes suddenly look up right at me, overflowing with hatred and desire. "_Good_!"

And then she strikes.

She's faster than last time. In just two months she's improved her taijutsu to the point where I can't just put her in a submissive position and end the fight. I dodge her first couple of punches, backing into the middle of the road before I catch her kick with my hands.

"Sakura, stop this! Now!" I shout.

Sakura lets out a shriek and her fists come down on my arms holding her leg so hard that they both scream in pain and I have to let go. She's _strong_. Much stronger than your typical twelve-year-old.

How can this be? A normal girl like Sakura shouldn't be capable of this!

She kicks at me several times, and I block her with my arms. My arms sting, but they're strong too. My arms are not going to break from a couple of kicks from this girl.

I search for an opening as I continue to back away. Sakura is coming after me in an all-out assault. One good opening and I can end this in an instant before this gets any worse!

"Come on!" Sakura shouts as she pursues me. "Is this all you got, Kushina? Show me the bitch who mutilated my mom and dad! Show me the monster who ruined my life!"

It's Sakura's own emotion that is her undoing. I see the opening just as she stretches a bit too far with one of her punches. I snatch her arm in mid-air and immediately come in close and knee her in her stomach. Sakura gags from the blow and I immediately twist her caught arm behind her and slam her into the ground, putting her in a submissive hold.

"Enough of this, Sakura!" I shout. "This isn't going to help you, not one bit!"

Sakura turns her head to look at me from the ground. And then she smiles. And then she _winks_.

What's she planning _now_?

Suddenly, she begins screaming. "Help me! Somebody help me! The monster lady is attacking me! Help! Help!"

Oh, for the love of . . .

I look up, and there's a crowd around us. Nearly all of whom are glaring at _me_.

A chuunin emerges from the crowd. "What is going on here?"

"Help me, please!" Sakura wails, tears beginning to pour from her eyes, as if she's an innocent girl being mercilessly bullied. "She's _hurting_ me! She's gonna break my arm! Help me!"

Damn it all to hell.

* * *

I seem to spend a small eternity (likely only an hour or so but it _feels_ like it) in holding before a guard emerges and unlocks my cell. "Someone vouched for you, Ms. Uzumaki. You got lucky."

"Really?" I ask.

"Really. Here's who did it," the guard says. Suddenly, I see Hinata Hyuga emerge, her hands fidgeting with her sweatshirt strings.

"H-Hello, Ms. Uzumaki. I-I saw what happened," Hinata says. "I . . . I asked my dad to get you out and . . . and I wrote a witness report for you."

Hinata . . . I never really expected her to do something like this for me. Of course, she has the name of her clan behind her, and if her father helped . . . that's probably why there's no mention of a trial or bail right now. Hiashi Hyuga is not a pleasant man but he did advocate for me to stay in Konoha after I returned to the village four years ago. He probably just thinks me useful, but that's better than how the majority of the village feels.

"Thank you," I say, walking towards her and I place my hands on her shoulders. "Thank you very much, Hinata. This means a lot."

Hinata's face turns red. "It . . . it was nothing, Ms. Uzumaki. J-Just the right thing to do."

I hug her briefly before I look at the guard. "So . . . am I just free to go?"

"There'll be a formal investigation into what happened here, including whether Sakura Haruno provoked you or not. There's been more than one report consistent with Hinata Hyuga's portrayal of events," the guard says. "For now, you will be permitted to return home. Your son is waiting outside, and . . . for all of our sakes, make haste. He's been _very_ . . . let's just say . . ."

I know my son well enough to know what he's doing right now. "I understand. Then let's make haste and get to him before he does something to get himself tossed in here too." I turn to Hinata. "Before this all happened, Hinata, I was going to treat Naruto and Fuu to Ichiraku Ramen. If they're still open, you're invited to come with, my treat. The least I can do for you in return for this."

Hinata blushes again. "Y-Y-You don't really need to . . ."

"I insist. You have no idea how much this means to me, Hinata."

Hinata looks away. "Um . . . okay."

"That settles it then. Let's get out of here right now before I go crazy. " I take her by the hand, and walk with her towards freedom.

Waiting is wasting for people like me.

* * *

"I was gonna take 'em all on!" Naruto proclaims to the Ichiraku Ramen staff. They were about to close, but Naruto was a favorite customer guaranteed to give them a profit, and they weren't going to turn _him_ away. "They could send every ninja in Konoha and I was gonna take 'em all on! No one throws my mom in jail because of a stupid girl! Not if I have anything to say about it! Believe it!"

"Naruto, speak louder. I think they can't hear you out in Kusa," Fuu says wryly.

"Sure!"

"I didn't mean that _literally_! Wait, stop!" Fuu wails.

As Naruto continues to loudly proclaim his toughness to anyone who's willing to listen . . . or unwilling and unable to block out the sound of his voice, I turn to Hinata, who's quietly eating her miso ramen with the politeness of a princess . . . well, in comparison to Naruto and Fuu, anyway. I've managed to teach Naruto some manners but he's still not the cleanest eater by any means, and Fuu's manners are atrocious. I'm going to need to knock some manners into Fuu if she's staying with me for the time being.

"Thank you again," I say, rubbing her shoulder. "I know this isn't much. I'll contact your father tomorrow for a proper thank you to you and the clan."

"It's . . . it's okay, Ms. Uzumaki." Hinata has been blushing a lot since she came here, and she blushes yet again. "It . . . it was the right thing to do. We don't get to . . . um, show how much . . . I, uh . . . well, how much you mean to Konoha . . . often, I guess?"

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Well . . ." Hinata fiddles with her chopsticks nervously. "N-Naruto's said to me . . . and please don't be mad at him for telling me this . . . but h-he told me o-once that you feel very . . ._alone_. Like everyone hates you, and everyone hates Naruto too."

She bites her lip. "Ms. Uzumaki . . . my father wanted me to let you know . . . the Hyuga clan is on your side, okay? And so am I. We . . . we made sure that Naruto . . . stayed in school and everything when you weren't here, Ms. Uzumaki. Even after Naruto almost hurt me with one of his pranks when we were just kids, we . . . we don't hate him, Ms. Uzumaki. And we don't hate you. We're _glad_ you're here. You're Konoha's protector, Ms. Uzumaki."

She gives me a queasy smile. "I'm sorry. I-I don't know if I'm making a-any sense."

"It's okay." I rub Hinata's shoulder again, like she's some lifelong family friend. She feels this way to me in this moment. "I understand, Hinata. Thank you."

Hinata chuckles softly, and then she takes an uncomfortable-looking bite of her food and swallows it. She's clearly embarrassed, but she doesn't have to be. She truly is a nice girl. I barely know her, but . . . I can tell she's sweet-natured and gentle. In a way, I wish she wasn't from a ninja clan. She ought to be a doctor or something out in the Land of Fire, caring for sick patients, not be trained in how to kill opponents.

"It means a lot to me that you're telling me this," I say after I let her have another bite of food. "I . . . I always feel like I'm a stranger in my own village. And that Naruto had it really hard when I was not here."

"W-Well . . . m-my clan . . . and a couple of the other clans . . . we tried to make sure that N-Naruto wasn't picked on too much. That's what my father says," Hinata replies. "I mean, Naruto _was_ hit a few times . . . and . . . and I know that Naruto has those s-scars on his back, but . . . I don't know. My father w-would explain this a lot better."

I don't have the heart to tell her that her sensei is what gave Naruto those scars, though that was back when her sensei was a vastly different person. "It's okay. You're doing a good job, Hinata."

"I just . . ." Hinata looks down at her soup, almost forlornly. "I just want to be there for Naruto, Ms. Uzumaki. I want to be stronger so I can stand with him. I . . . I don't want to hold him or Sasuke back. He's . . . he's going to be . . ."

"He's going to be Hokage someday," I reply. "That's his dream."

"Did somebody say 'Hokage'?" Naruto comes running over. "That's what _I'm_ gonna be! Believe it!"

Oh, Naruto. Judging by how deep Hinata's blushing is, she's never going to say anything more now. But that's okay, I can-

Whoa.

Naruto hugs Hinata right on her seat right then, and Hinata's gray eyes widen to the size of the dish she was eating out of.

"Thanks, Hinata," Naruto says. "Thanks a lot. You're amazing."

Hinata's voice is an airy squeak. "Y-You're welcome . . . Naruto."

Seeing this just makes me smile. It's nice to be surrounded by good people. It's nice to know what Hinata just told me too. Maybe I should meet a couple of these clan heads, tell them I appreciate them, now that I know. It'd be nice to at least have a few more acquaintances at least. I'd feel more like a part of this village then.

But right now, despite what happened, despite the teppou, despite Sakura starting to scare the _hell_ out of me . . .

I feel at peace.

For the first time in the last twelve years, I really feel at peace. I've almost forgotten what serenity feels like, but I feel it right now. Like I'm really where I belong.

I don't know if I'll ever feel this again, but I'm going to remember this moment.

Because right now . . .

Peace just feels _wonderful_.

And that's something you can't, you just _won't_, forget.

Count on it.

* * *

I am sure most of you are going to be stunned to hear this, but my OTP is Naruto/Sakura. And yet, I've written NaruHina shipteasing and basically have guaranteed NaruSaku isn't going to happen. I need to write a NaruSaku romance vignette or something or they'll revoke my NaruSaku membership card, heh.

I've thrown in little nods to the Land of Waves throughout this arc, but I highly doubt anyone's going to notice them. One such nod was in this very chapter, a few choice lines of dialogue.

The next chapter starts off a pair of short, connected mini-arcs. The first arc is original, and it leads into an adaptation of another Naruto movie (albeit in a more truncated fashion than Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow). A VERY important character in the overall story is going to be introduced in the first mini-arc. Said character is controversial among the fandom but . . . I hope the character proves to be likable.


	44. One Month, Sixteen Days Later

New arc time! It's going to be solely Kushina for a long, long, time. In fact, it won't be until the Chuunin Exams that we'll start switching POVs again.

* * *

**Chapter 44: One Month, Sixteen Days Later**

I am starting to really hate scientists and science in general.

Her name is Youko Ochiai. Messy red-gold hair tied back in a sloppy ponytail. Glasses. Looks forty, maybe forty-five, with some frown and smile lines on her face though they aren't too obvious yet. On the short side and petite, and maybe still attractive-looking if she were to clean up a little.

She should've lost to an S-rank jonin like me a long time ago. When Kakashi Hatake and Mikoto Uchiha are also with me, she should have been defeated basically the moment we showed up here in her underground laboratory.

And yet, somehow, she's seized control of the moment by what she's _threatening_ to do.

"I'll do it!" Youko shouts, the syringe in her right hand posed right above her left arm. "You imperialist ninja enabling the Land of Fire to destroy this land! I'll do it!"

"This is annoying," Kakashi sighs from my left.

Youko Ochiai's crime is that she was creating chimeras, a kind of monster created by merging together various animals. These beasts had mauled a bunch of loggers sent in to cut down much of the forest in order to build a more substantial defensive wall for a nearby town. And so they had hired ninja from Konoha to take care of the beasts and the woman behind it.

Plus, there were rumors she was connected to Orochimaru, the missing-nin of Konoha. That made Youko Ochiai not just an A-ranked mission, but a _high-priority_ A-ranked mission.

The beasts are all dead at this point. They were hideous things, mixtures of wolves and tigers and birds of prey and . . . they were clearly living in pain. And that pain just added to their aggression.

Youko's desire to protect this forest has blinded her to the inhumanity of what she's doing. Forcibly creating monsters who lived in agony and rage, and slaughtering human beings who were just trying to make a living. She's crossed the point of no return with that. She's likely going to get the death penalty if we bring her in alive.

"Annoying?" Youko shouts, her eye twitching. "You just find me _annoying_?"

"Poor choice of words, Kakashi," Mikoto snaps.

Kakashi holds up his hands. "Look, lady, I don't know what's in that syringe, but I doubt it will be pleasant for us _or_ for you. Just surrender quietly. That's all we're asking you to do, we're not out to kill anyone here."

Youko begins laughing. "Oh yes you are! You're aiding and abetting those that would murder this forest and by extension every animal that lives inside it!"

Her eyes widen, and a wide smile slashes its way across its face. She reminds me of Sakura not too long ago, teetering on the edge of sanity. "Trees don't scream when they're killed, ninja, but they are _alive_ every bit as we are! Just because they have no voices, and they're rooted into the ground and stuck there for the entirety of their lives, doesn't mean they don't have the right to live!"

"Personally, I think _people_ have the right to live too," Kakashi says. "That was about thirty people your creatures murdered outside. They're leaving behind families and-"

"They _deserved_ it!" Youko hisses. "They_ all_ deserved it!"

Kakashi's lone visible eye blinks. "Well then, I think she's pretty much gone."

"No kidding," Mikoto hisses.

"Huh?" Youko asks, looking edgier than ever.

I think it's time I stepped in . . . though I don't want that thing getting injected into _me_, so I'm not going to get _too_ close. I have a kunai ready just in case, and keep focused on that syringe as I take one step closer. "Look, Youko, you want to protect this forest. We all understand that. And I had a look at the original plan. About forty percent of this forest was going to stay, and what was cut down was going to be converted into farmland. The plants and animals were just going to change with the environment, and more crops were going to grow here to feed the people in this country. Isn't that a worthy goal?"

"If it doesn't stop now, it's never gonna stop," Youko hisses. "Sure, let's just cut down _one_ forest. Whoops, we're outta space! Let's cut down another one! We need about fifty more farms here! Let's cut down another one! Our population's doubled, we're out of space in the town! Hey, there's a nearby forest nearby that has the space we need! Let's cut it down!"

Her voice is _dripping_ with sarcasm so much it's almost visible.

Kakashi sighs again. "You tried, Kushina."

"You know what the problem is?" Youko shouts. "There's too many goddamn _people_, that's what the problem is! And our population just keeps growing and growing and _growing_ to the point it's an albatross on all of society!"

She rears back and just starts laughing. "But that's okay! Everybody's gonna die soon anyway! The entire Land of Fire is going to _explode_, ninja! And that includes you and your warmongering little village of glorified mercenaries!"

"Can we just kill her _now_?" Mikoto hisses to Kakashi.

"Disarmament unless there's no choice," Kakashi says, and he lifts his headband up, exposing his Sharingan eye.

"But this forest won't die!" Youko shouts. "I'll be the protector of this forest, so when every single tub of fat and muscle perishes from this suffering world, this forest won't go down with it!"

She's going to do it. I can see it in her eyes.

"Wait!" I shout, grabbing a kunai, but it's too late.

Youko jabs the syringe into herself, and she cries in pain as the snow-white liquid quickly flows into her.

"Uh oh," Kakashi says.

Youko twitches as she backs up against the wall. "Oh! Ohh! Ugh!"

She falls to her hands and knees, and all of a sudden that lab coat looks _really_ tight on her. Suddenly, the lab coat and much of her clothing rapidly tears apart, exposing a rapidly _growing_woman.

"What the hell is going on here?" Mikoto asks.

"She's _changing_," I reply.

"I know _that_ much! But into _what_?" Mikoto asks.

Youko looks up at us, and her eyes open to reveal pupils of red and irises of black.

"Oh, that just looks _lovely_," Kakashi groans in clear sarcasm.

Youko's mouth opens as she lets a bestial roar, and her skin begins tearing off, revealing something gray underneath.

Kakashi steps in front of me. "You know what, I've seen enough. I'm gonna end this."

He charges forward as the Youko-monster begins standing up. The thing that had been Youko is clearly taller than all of us at this point, and her human features are falling away with her skin, revealing a hideous, gray-skinned monster underneath.

Kakashi right-hand glows with white light. "_Lightning Blade_!"

His hand stabs right into the monster's skin and there's a blinding flash. The remnants of the Youko-monster's skin is vaporized, but when the attack is clearly over, the Youko-monster is clearly unharmed, and Kakashi is vulnerable.

The Youko-monster seems to _smile_ as she, it, I don't know anymore, looks down at Kakashi.

"Oh, this is gonna hurt," Kakashi groans.

The Youko-monster backhands Kakashi and he goes flying past Mikoto and I, crashing on the other side of the hall, and he falls to the ground, leaving a Kakashi-sized imprint in the wall.

The Youko-monster lets out a roar that makes me want to cover my ears. The Nine-Tails begins chuckling.

_This is most amusing. You humans and your stupidity never cease to amaze me._

I do _not_ want to hear you right now!

_What, don't want to share any last words with me?_

Stop pretending that you have a sense of humor, beast, and let me concentrate!

"Kushina, think fire will work?" Mikoto asks, removing me from my internal argument with the demon inside me.

"I don't have any better ideas!" I reply. "Let her have it! Fire Style! Fireball Technique!"

Mikoto and I both launch our blazes at the monster, and after a moment it begins to _screech_. Horribly. My ears feel like they're being carved into pieces from the horrific, high-pitched shriek, like a knife is going into both of them.

"It's working!" Mikoto shouts.

I draw the Habanero Ninjatou and ignite it. "I'm finishing it off!"

I run forward with the flaming blade and stab it right into the enflamed monster's heart . . . well, where I _think_ the heart is. The monster absolutely _bursts_ into flames, falls backwards, crashing into the wall behind it and collapses, with several large stones falling on top of it and filling the room with dust and smoke. I have to back off in order to breathe.

"Is it dead?" Mikoto asks.

I wait, and count to thirty. Nothing moves. Nothing breathes. Nothing speaks.

I place my hand on the seal of my blade and withdraw the chakra, extinguishing it. "Yes."

Mikoto sighs in relief. "You know, I think it was dying anyway. You didn't need to put yourself at risk like that, Kushina."

"It didn't deserve to suffer," I reply. It takes me a moment to realize that I had referred to the _monster_ that had been Youko Ochiai as an "it", not as a "she". Had losing her visible humanity meant that Youko was no longer worthy of being referred to as what she had been? That she was just a "thing", lower than even a house pet when it comes to consideration?

"How could it withstand Kakashi's Lightning Blade, but wasn't able to tolerate a C-ranked fire attack?" Mikoto asks.

"How am I supposed to know that?" I ask in return.

"True," Mikoto says, chuckling briefly. "None of us are scientists here. We don't study things, we kill them."

I suppose some gallows humor from Mikoto, as half-hearted as it is, is a sign that she's improving emotionally. I'm hopeful that's the case anyway.

"Mikoto, tend to Kakashi's injuries please," I say. "I'm going to inspect the laboratory. I don't think Youko Ochiai had anything else in mind planned for us, but there might be something useful. She _did_ say she had partnered with a 'madman', after all."

"You're thinking 'Orochimaru', aren't you?" Mikoto asks.

I turn to her. "Yes."

Mikoto nods. "After I tend to Kakashi I'll inspect the rooms we've already entered and see if I can find anything else."

"Sounds good. We meet back here in fifteen minutes with whatever we find." I begin walking into the facility then, making a left down the corridor, passing by where the remnants of Youko . . . or the monster Youko had _chosen_ to become, rather.

That's what people say Orochimaru's become. A _monster_. But is he a monster in the sense Youko wound up becoming? Or a monster in a vastly different sense? A monster that's more calculating, a monster that can-

Wait. Door opening from my right.

I draw kunai and ready myself. Who is . . .

It's a _boy_.

A boy with the same type of messy red-gold hair as Youko Ochiai. Six, maybe seven years old.

He looks at me with shimmering brown eyes. "M-Mommy became a monster . . . didn't she?"

Aw, hell.

* * *

Hiruzen sighs after going over our report after we return to Konoha three days later. "Considering the circumstances I don't disagree with any of your decisions. You did what had to be done, including with bringing her son here to Konoha. He should find a place among the civilians here."

"That's good," I say. I can't imagine how that boy must feel right now. I can guess, of course, but the pain he has to live with right now is just something I wouldn't wish on anyone. And those first words he said to me when I found him, those are not words children should say at all. It shows he knew something about his mother, something was _evil_ about her, and he had been _expecting_ that to happen in this fatalistic way.

I hope the orphanage will treat him kindly. He's a victim, pure and simple.

He probably knows I was the one who murdered his mom too, though it was after his mother chose to become a monster. He never said so, he barely spoke at all on the trip home. I didn't have the heart to interrogate him, and Kakashi said that he doubted the boy knew anything beyond what the papers we found said anyway.

Hiruzen shakes his head. "These papers you've found are quite damning. I'll be going over this with my advisers before we decide what our next course of action should be. But it seems Youko Ochiai was loosely connected to Orochimaru. She was a fringe element at best, and it seems she went rogue, but . . ."

"The map that points to the isle south of the Land of Fire," Kakashi says.

"Yes, that place," Hiruzen says. "We will likely need to investigate it and soon. The advantage of Youko Ochiai being a fringe element is that if she is indeed connected to Orochimaru as her documents seem to say, it may take some time before that isle is aware that Youko Ochiai was compromised. I've made sure that what information gets out states that the laboratory self-destructed, it caved in. Which it currently is, if anyone were to inspect the site now."

"How long before we begin such an investigation?" Mikoto asks.

"We will make a decision promptly," Hiruzen. "In all likelihood the three of you and other Konoha ninja will be dispatched tomorrow morning. I strongly recommend you rest up, and Kakashi, have the medical-nin look you over. I know you're claiming your injuries are minor but I want you officially cleared."

Kakashi sighs. "Yes, Lord Hokage."

Wonderful. Another mission right after this one. And so close to the Chuunin Exams too.

Naruto and Team 7 have done three missions since the land of Snow, all C-ranks. I've done two As and a quick B where I subbed for someone else in that span of time. I haven't seen Naruto as much as I've wanted to, though I've noticed that Hiruzen seems to be making sure that Naruto and I will both be inside Konoha at the same time (and, by extension, Mikoto and Sasuke). That's nice of him to do that, but I'm unsure of whether to thank him for it.

Hiruzen folds his hands. "You are all dismissed. Expect to be called in tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Lord Hokage," I reply. There's nothing else that has to be said.

I'm going to leave the village again.

* * *

We all part ways, Mikoto mentions wanting to spend some time with Sasuke, and Kakashi saying he feels like getting "lost on the road of life" or some weird pseudo-deep junk. That's fine with me, I just want to go straight home. It isn't just Naruto in the house right now, Fuu is in there too, and I'm sure she's feeling antsy and lonely.

I was hoping to spend some time with Naruto before the Exams start in five weeks. I know Anko is going to enter her team into the Exams. She's _sure_ that the three of them are ready now, there haven't been any more Land of Snow-style incidents. I have not had the opportunity to discuss this with her, entering my son and his teammates after just six months of training.

Even though the next Exams will be held in a different village, I believe it will be Ame's turn, I'd prefer if they waited six more months.

But to head down to the the isle, do the investigation, and then come back . . .

I'd barely make it back in time before the Exams start. I'd have maybe a couple of weeks before the beginning of the Exams, and I'm going to need every single day I may have left to make sure Naruto and his Chakra Chains are ready. I've managed to get him up to three chains now, but they're not perfect. If I can get him to make three chains with minimal chakra waste, he should be good to go with _that_ particular technique. Everything else . . . I don't like admitting it, but it's in Anko's hands.

Ultimately, whether my son and the rest of the team are ready is entirely up to Anko. As a parent I can give her a strong recommendation, and I can try to talk Naruto out of it, though knowing Naruto's stubbornness that would be a serious battle.

Hiashi Hyuga told me he was going to make Hinata take the exam regardless. "_My daughter has not lived up to her potential in my eyes or in the clan's, and if the Chuunin Exams don't force it out of her nothing will,_" were his exact words. That reminded me of how cruel of a man he can be, and why I didn't exactly seek him out for conversation before Hinata told me of the Hyuga clan's support for me and Naruto.

Mikoto told me the same thing, albeit in a nicer way. "_Sasuke is ready. I'm sure he is. Everything I've seen and heard of him tells me he's ready. I hope Naruto and Hinata are ready too so they can help him when he needs them to._"

So am I just worrying too much? Or is it something else?

I don't know. If Mikoto feels Sasuke is ready, perhaps Naruto is ready too. Maybe it's _me_ who isn't ready. I'm not ready to have Naruto's survival put solely into his hands without any lifeline besides Sasuke and Hinata.

The first exam I'm not too concerned about. It's almost always a mental test of some kind. There's little, if any, violence. It's the second test that worries me. That's the survival test, that's when the participants attack each other, that's when people die.

Though sometimes the survival test and mental test are flipped around. After a grueling survival exercise many ninja just can't handle a mental test and crack. It's a good way to weed people out.

Well, anyway, I'm home. I can't help but smile. I know Naruto's here, I saw that Team 7's mission had been completed while I had been in Hiruzen's office, so . . .

I open the door. "Naruto sweetie, I'm home!"

"Mom!" Naruto appears in the hallway. "Come on, does the first thing you gotta say to me have to be 'sweetie'?"

"Ha ha! Your mom calls you 'sweetie'!" Fuu laughs from another room.

"Hey, I can call you 'honey-bear snookums' if you want, Fuu," I reply.

Fuu makes a squeaking noise. "No! Anything but that!"

"Then don't make fun of me and Naruto 'cause I feel like calling him 'sweetie'," I reply, _sweetly_ of course.

Naruto just groans. I laugh and place my hands on his shoulders. "Come on, I don't get to be the 'embarrassing parent' enough. Gotta catch up on my quota."

"Why do ya gotta do it in front of _her_?" Naruto moans.

"Aw, come on, I just live here, it's not like I'm datin' ya or anything," Fuu replies. "Unless . . . you _want_ to date me. Ooh, awkward."

Naruto's face turns red. "Why does everyone assume I wanna date _anybody_?"

"Because you're a twelve-year-old boy who's expected to start noticing girls," I reply. "Or, alternatively, other boys, but that's not as common."

"I don't wanna hear anything 'bout dating _anybody_," Naruto says with finalty. "I'm gonna worry about that after the Exams. Believe it!"

"So you say, loverboy," Fuu chimes in, and that just makes Naruto put his head down, blushing all over again.

I'll rescue him. I'm the one who started this in the first place. "Fuu, that's enough picking on Naruto. I don't want this to go to the point where it's no longer funny."

"Okay, okay," Fuu says. This entire time, it's like I've been speaking to a disembodied voice. I haven't seen Fuu's body at _all_.

_Kind of like talking to _me_, isn't it?_

_Why_ are you so chatty all of a sudden, beast?

_Because it gets under your skin, woman. I don't have anything better to do._

The beast chuckles. I don't like that chuckle.

_Your son looks like fresh warm meat ready to be tossed onto open flame._

Do you _want_ me to get pissed off, beast?

_I already have. Mission accomplished . . . or is it?_

The Nine-Tailed Fox thinks it is funny. I don't know whether to take it as a sign of it having an actual personality beyond _kill everything_ or not. I'm not sure I want to know the answer to that question.

"Mom, is something wrong?" Naruto asks. Once again, I've had an internal conversation while time passes by in the real world. I've just been standing still, I'm sure.

"I'm just having a _wonderful_ conversation with the Nine-Tailed Fox inside me," I reply.

"Oh?" Fuu charges into the room all of a sudden, holding what looks like an old novel in her hands. "What's he saying, what's he saying?"

_If you so much as mock me I'll-_

"Oh, the usual kind of stuff. Humans suck and deserve to die and how he wants to eat everybody," I reply cheerfully, knowing there's no way I'll let the beast inside me harm me.

_One of these days, woman. One of these days._

Fuu giggles. "Choumei and your Tailed Beast sound like they'll get along _great_."

_Choumei is a fool who accepts his lot in life. I'd like nothing more than to rip his heart out._

"I think the Nine-Tails begs to differ," I reply.

Fuu laughs awkwardly. "Yeah. Choumei doesn't like the Nine-Tails either. He thinks your Tailed Beast is grouchy."

_I hate you. I hate you all._

I turn to Naruto. I'm going to make a conscious effort to ignore the Nine-Tails for right now. The Nine-Tails has been quite a chatterbox today and that's starting to get on my nerves. "Come on, let's all eat something before I work with you on the Chakra Chains, okay? The Hokage told me I'm likely getting re-deployed tomorrow morning so I don't have a lot of time before I have to leave."

"Aw, come on! You just got here!" Naruto whines.

I smile at him. I hope I look at least a _little_ comforting. "I don't like it either, Naruto. But I'll be back before the Chuunin Exams, I promise. And we all know missions at the host village get put on hold during the Exams, so I'll be there cheering you on the whole time. The both of you."

Naruto just folds his arms, looking pouty. Fuu, for her part, sighs almost wistfully. "I just hope I can compete at _all_. I need teammates."

"I'm sure Shibuki will pull through for you," I reply. "Now, that's enough worrying about stuff we can't control. Let's have some lunch and just talk for a while. I want to know _everything _you've both been doing, okay?"

That finally gets Naruto to smile. "Okay!"

There we go. That's my son. When he smiles I feel like all of the weight in the world is off my shoulders.

I'd hug him right now but I'm embarrassed him enough for right now. So I just pat him on the shoulder as I walk by him. "Okay! What would you two like?"

I get bombarded by dozens of rapid-fire suggestions.

This is what it would've been like if I had another child. Lots of excitement, lots of energy, and lots of smiles.

I know it's going to end, that Fuu is going to go back to Taki, that Naruto is going to grow up and become a teenager. But for now, I'm just going to enjoy the moment. I'm going to laugh and smile for the rest of the day, and worry about what happens tomorrow.

Just live in the moment.

And this moment is going to be the best that I can make it be.

* * *

In case you're wondering what kind of monster Youko turned into, it was a genderbent Blockbuster from the Young Justice cartoon. I felt like giving YJ a little nod as that show has gone off into the sunset.

Youko is not based on a canon or filler character. She was created by me to say crazy things, turn into a monster, and die. XD Most of my OCs exist just to die, now that I think about it . . .


	45. Early Summer Rain

**Chapter 45: Early Summer Rain**

The sharp, booming sound of thunder jolts me from sleep.

My heart's thrashing in my chest, like I've just escaped from a grueling, life-threatening battle. My head feels like it's developed its own heartbeat as well, it's like a drum being pounded. It hurts. It hurts a _lot_.

Okay. Was this a nightmare? Or was I just surprised by a loud noise?

It's raining. That much is true. Pounding against the windows. Maybe some hail too.

I hope it isn't hail. I do _not_ want to spend time checking the roof.

Okay. If it was a nightmare, I sure as hell don't remember it. Probably just the lighting and thunder.

A bright flash that blinds me for less than a second. Then a _crack-boom_ immediately thereafter. Lightning.

And it's close.

What time is it? One-thirty in the morning? Damn.

All right. This is what I'm gonna do. I'm going to go drink some water and see if this cures my headache at all. I'm going to make sure Naruto and Fuu are still sleeping as well. I'll know, both tend to snore like buzzsaws.

I wonder if I snore like they do too. Minato never told me that I snore, and I know for damn sure that Minato never snored. Makes me think I probably do and Minato was too polite to ever criticize me for it. Maybe he even got used to it or even liked it. Stranger things have happened.

All right. Water first. See if it helps this headache at all. Then-  
Flash. _Crack-pow_.

See if there's some way I can get back to sleep despite this seriously terrible weather outside.

There's a lot of shadows in the house, they seem to contort and move as I pass through the top floor to the first floor. I know it's just my imagination. I sense no danger. Still, I can't help but feel just a little nervous as I walk down the stairs, into the kitchen, and turn on a light. It's human instinct to distrust the darkness, especially in stormy weather. It's something you can't quite shake even when you know better.

All right. That water seemed to do wonders. Sometimes that's all you need.

_It's never what _I_ need._

I didn't ask for your opinion.

Flash. _Crack-boom_.

And I didn't ask for _your_ opinion either, Mother Nature.

All right, back up the stairs. Water's good, you're good, hopefully the blasted fox who's been uncomfortably chatty lately will keep his mouth shut, and you can go to bed. No nightmares, no Minato-visions, just blissful sleep while the storm passes.

Flash. _Crack-pow_.

Well, the best I can get anyway.

As I trudge up the stairs, I see eyes in front of Naruto's room. Orange eyes. My hair doesn't even stand on end. I recognize Fuu so well at this point she doesn't catch me off guard at all.

"Fuu? You okay?" I ask softly as I make it to the top.

"Yeah." Fuu takes a deep breath, and then her head motions to Naruto's room, almost in a hesitant manner, like she's on the verge of saying something private. "Um . . . Naruto kinda isn't though. He's mumbling again and it doesn't sound good."

"Mumbling?" I stand outside the door, beside Fuu, and listen.

"Mom," Naruto says softly. "Mom . . . no . . . not . . . not Mom . . . stop . . ."

His words are fading in and out, like parts of complete sentences he's only saying certain words of. But it sounds pretty clear what Naruto is dreaming about right now.

I had been hoping . . . really hoping, that Naruto had shaken it off somehow . . .

I can only imagine how graphic the vision of my debasement and death is to my son, I had forced the images out of mind before they registered with me back in the final battle with Doto, but that wave of killing intent hit Naruto full force.

Damn Doto Kazahana. I hope he's suffering in hell for what he forced into my son's head.

_You humans are such hypocrites with your love and hatred. Another reason why-_

Beast, one more word, and I will find a way to make your imprisonment even worse than it already is.

Silence. Thank the heavens.

"What's going on?" Fuu asks. "He's been mumbling like that on and off all month, usually when you're not here."

"He is having a disturbing nightmare about my death," I reply. I don't feel that I need to tell Fuu all of the details behind this nightmare that Doto has implanted inside Naruto's head. She doesn't need to know about it too.

"Oh." Fuu looks down. "What . . . what would happen to do that?"

"It involves a killing intent vision Naruto received in the Land of Snow. That's all you need to know," I reply.

Even in the darkness I can see Fuu's forehead crinkle a bit as she's lost in confusion. "I don't remember anything that bad killing intent-wise."

I can hear Naruto still mumbling "Mom" and a few other words. I don't know if he's talking _to_ me or _about_ me. All I know is that he clearly needs me.

"Fuu . . . please. I'm going to wake Naruto up and prove to him I'm okay. For Naruto's pride, please give us some space and don't eavesdrop."

"But-"

"Fuu . . . please." I don't like how close I am to begging, but I _really_ don't want Fuu to hear _any_ of this. She isn't much older than Naruto. I don't think she needs to hear this either, not only because of her age but also because this is not her business. And I don't want to take the chance of Fuu blabbing things to people.

Suddenly, I hear Naruto yell. "_Mom_! Mom, _no_!"

There's no time to waste. "Fuu, go into your room, and stay there. _Please_."

Fuu's eyes widen. "O-Okay."

I can hear Naruto moaning and starting to cry. I think he's awake now. I can't bear to hear him like this. He is clearly . . . just clearly . . .

I open the door all the way and walk inside to see Naruto sitting up in bed, his hands over his face. "Naruto."

Naruto looks up from his hands, and his face becomes strained as he looks at me. Lightning flashes outside and I briefly see his tear-stained, flushed cheeks and shimmering blue eyes. He tries to say something, I can hear him try so hard to say _something_, but all that he manages are a couple of soft, wordless noises, garbled by a throat closed in tears.

I kneel down beside his bed and offer him my right hand and stroke his soaked cheek with it. "Naruto, it's okay. It's okay."

"M-Mom." Suddenly Naruto reaches out and grabs me and pulls me into a tight embrace. He clings to me like I'm a lifeline, his hands gripping onto strands of my long hair, his nails digging into my pajamas and my skin. He rests his head on my left shoulder and just sobs this incoherent, soft, wordless wail, and it's like an alarm bell ringing in my mind, all of it.

"It's okay," I whisper as I wrap my own arms around him as he cries. "It's okay. It's never going to happen to me, Naruto. It never has and it never will."

"Mom," Naruto manages through this shaking voice that sounds like he's suffered an internal earthquake. "I w-w-won't let you go, M-Mom. I'll . . . I'll _die_ before it . . . it happens to you."

"Don't talk like that," I whisper in his ear. That's one of the last things I wanted to hear from him. This is not Naruto's responsibility. It will never be his responsibility. "Don't talk like that. It's never going to happen, Naruto. I'm all right. Everything's okay."

His fingers dig through the hair flowing down my back. I can feel him pulling on it, sifting through it, like he's searching for some kind of warmth or something physical that he needs.

"It's okay," I whisper. "It's okay. It's a nightmare, Naruto. You're okay. I'm not going anywhere."

"P-Please don't go," Naruto sobs. "Mom . . . I love you. I love you m-more than _anything_."

"I love you too," I whisper back. I can't help but hold him just a little tighter. He's not Naruto, the genin, right now. He's my baby. My child. I carried him inside me for ten months thanks to jinchuuriki pregnancies being slower than normal pregnancies. And his dream is to get to the top of this village, to become Hokage, to be a leader above all other leaders.

I too, love him more than anything else in this world. His dreams are my dreams. It doesn't matter that he's aiming for the very top, that he has so many obstacles in his way. He wants to become Hokage, I'll push him there, damn it. And he'll be the best Hokage this village has ever seen if I have anything to say about it.

He can become so much. And I'll teach him how to achieve that dream of his, the dream that gets beaten out of so many children by their clan heads or by sheer _reality_. The dream of becoming Hokage.

"Naruto . . . just remember. I'm not going anywhere," I whisper to him. "You're going to become Hokage and I will be there for you, and when you do become Hokage, I'll be right there to watch it happen . . . because I love you."

Naruto grips me just a little tighter. I can't help but smile at that response. This is what Naruto needs, most of all. The knowledge that he has support in chasing this dream of his. He will _always_ have support in chasing this dream.

"There, you see? Everything's okay, Naruto," I whisper. "That nightmare will never come true, Naruto. All that's going to come true is your dream, okay? Your amazing, wonderful dream, and I will be there to watch it happen. You're a strong young man, Naruto. You _will_ do it. I know it."

"Mom." He looks up at me then, tears still streaming down his face, but at least he's managing to smile. "T-Thanks."

His spirit's back. He's still crying, he's still hurt, but that spirit of his just will not surrender. I know his spirit will _never_ surrender.

I stroke his face and let him rest on my right shoulder, one arm around his fuzzy, spiky-haired head, and the other around his torso. "You're welcome. Now just breathe. I'm right here."

Minato, I'm sorry this has happened to our son. But . . . but I will help him get past this.

I want to see you again, but it's becoming increasingly clear to me that it's not going to happen for a while yet. Moments like these show me why.

I have something to finish here first before I join you, Minato.

And that something is our son, our son with the craziest yet most wonderful dream a child of Konoha can have.

A dream that someday, just someday . . . will not be a dream, but _reality_.

* * *

Naruto's his usual self in the morning when I have breakfast ready. So is Fuu, who goes "Yay, a Ms. Uzumaki breakfast!"

Something tells me they're sick of the simple stuff that comes from packages, which is what they're stuck with when I'm not here. It just doesn't compare to the quality of food made from scratch.

I'm glad I managed to teach them responsibility, though. The house doesn't look trashed. Sure, there's signs that the place could use a good dusting, but they're keeping the place looking nice and normal. I'm lucky that way.

It's still raining outside, but it's become a gentle shower, there's no lightning or thunder anymore. I'm grateful for that. We need the rain, but not the storm. We need plants to grow, not to drown from flooding.

Hopefully this is a sign there won't be a drought this year.

"I hate training in the rain," Naruto grumbles.

"It's a necessary evil," I say. "We sometimes have to fight our battles in the rain. I expect Anko to completely work the three of you over today."

Naruto looks down. "Aw, man."

Fuu giggles. "In Taki, it rains _all_ the time. You get used to it. Besides, this is _nothing_ compared to Ame. It's the 'Village Hidden in the Rain' for a _reason_, you know?"

"I don't like Ame already," Naruto groans.

"That's going to be the site of the next Chuunin Exam after Konoha's," I reply. "Either get your rain training now or be ready to take your exam in the rain, Naruto, with a lot of mud and flooding. My Chuunin Exams were in Ame. There were only two winners."

"Who won?" Naruto asks, a puzzled expression on his face. "You, obviously, 'cause you only had to take 'em once, but who else?"

I smile. This'll blow Naruto's mind. "Your father."

Naruto stares. "What . . . really?"

"That's right," I reply. "Your father actually finished in first place, he and I faced each other in the final battle and he managed to get the best of me. I'll tell you all about it someday."

"Why not now?" Naruto asks.

"Because the story will resonate better when you're actually taking the Chuunin Exam," I reply. There's a lesson in how Minato beat me in the final round of the Chuunin Exam that Naruto will need to know, but if I explain that to him now he won't remember it. Naruto's attention span is still a bit too short. "There's not many promotions that come out of the exam, Naruto. That's when you'll need the lesson from the story."

"How the heck do we get so many chuunin if only a couple of people pass the Exams at a time?" Naruto asks. "I don't get it."

"The Chuunin Exams is for everyone twenty-five and under," I say. "You can be promoted to chuunin without passing the exam, but it's a private promotion, without the notoriety that comes with passing the exam. And, of course, it may suit some ninja and the village to stay genin permanently, and tackle jobs on a part-time basis when more people are needed than what are available."

"Well, that ain't happening to me!" Naruto says. "I'm gonna become a chuunin the famous-style way! Believe it!"

Fuu raises an eyebrow. "You're a big softy. You're not going to pull it off."

"Yes I can, and I will! Just watch!" Naruto proclaims.

Fuu sighs. "Whatever, Naruto."

I know Fuu's thinking about last night, about Naruto waking up from a nightmare shaking and crying. I know Fuu's cried in her sleep too, she did that to me during the Land of Snow trip, I wonder if her remark is more self-deprecating than it appears.

A knock on the door. "I'll get it," I say, and I walk up to the door and open it, revealing Anko Mitarashi.

"Hi, Kushina! Just checkin' to see if Naruto's ready to go. We got some heavy-duty wet weather training to do today, you know?" Anko says.

"Tell her I'm not ready!" Naruto yells from the kitchen table.

You're not foolin' me _that_ easily, Naruto!" Anko says. "And it's not like I'm a slave driver. Who the hell do you think I am?"

"Ugh," Naruto groans.

"'Ugh'. You think I am an 'ugh'," Anko says. She walks beside me and puts a hand on my shoulder. "Please excuse me, Kushina. I believe it is noogie time."

Oh boy. Just what I needed today. Still . . .

"Yeah, go ahead." I let her pass.

"Mom, you traitor!" Naruto wails as Anko chases him around the house about once before tackling him and they roll on the carpet together, Anko laughing like she's going to bust her gut as she manages to get Naruto into her signature noogies. Fuu, for her part, looks nonplussed.

"I would say something but I think it would happen to me too," Fuu just says to me.

"I agree," I reply, just as I see Anko stop the noogies and wrap Naruto up in a hug.

"Thanks for being a good sport 'bout it," Anko says, rubbing Naruto on the head _nicely_ this time. "Now come on. Enough playin' around. This is serious stuff we're doing today."

"All right, all right," Naruto sighs.

Anko smiles. "Good!"

Anko and Naruto are ready to leave within five minutes, and I wish Naruto goodbye. "The Hokage has me doing an emergency mission, Naruto, but I will be back before the Chuunin Exams, I promise."

"Okay, looking forward to see you cheerin' me on in the finals," Naruto says confidently.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Anko sighs. She looks at me, and her eyes have turned serious.

"Yes?" I ask.

"I will make sure they're ready while you're gone, Kushina," Anko says solemnly. "I mean it."

"I don't doubt you," I reply. "Now get going. You still need to get Sasuke and Hinata, don't you?"

Anko nods. "Yup. We're on it. C'mon, Naruto."

"Bye, Mom! See ya soon!" Naruto, like he wasn't breaking into tears during the middle of last night, walks away like he has all the confidence in the world.

"Bye, Naruto! I love you!" I shout and I wave at him until he and Anko are a block away from my house. All this reminds me is that Naruto is becoming a young man. The Chuunin Exams is a rite of passage into adulthood as much as anything else in our world. If Naruto takes it, and manages to become chuunin, he'll be expected to hold down adult responsibilities. And he'll be qualified for B-ranks, too.

He could be growing up really fast soon, but I have no plans on missing out on that.

Speaking of which, I need to get ready for my mission before-

Oh. Fuu.

Fuu has her arms crossed in front of her. Uh oh. "Okay, _now_ will you tell me what's up with Naruto and why he's moaning and crying in the middle of the night?"

Fuu just isn't going to let this go, is she? Still . . . I should be able to give her a _censored_ version of the truth. "When we fought Doto Kazahana, he let loose some serious killing intent, and the vision Naruto saw of me dying was vivid. It's something he hasn't been able to forget at all."

Fuu's eyes widen. "That simple, huh?"

"Basically." I _really_ don't want to talk more about this. "Don't give Naruto a hard time about it. He doesn't like crying. He's ashamed of it."

"Well, yeah, he's a boy and stuff," Fuu says. "He's supposed to be too tough to cry."

"He shouldn't be ashamed at all. He's worried about me because he loves me. Tears are a part of love, Fuu, as well as everything else."

"Do we _gotta_ go there?" Fuu groans.

"No, we don't," I agree. "Now, I need you to behave. No sneaking off this time. I have to head to the Hokage and see if the emergency mission is on. If it's not, well then, I'm sticking around for a while. If it is . . . I have a job to do."

"And what is that job?" Fuu asks curiously.

"If he's there . . ." I guess there's no harm in letting Fuu know. "I'm going to kill someone known as Orochimaru."

"Orochimaru?" Fuu asks. Her eyes widen. "I've heard that name once or twice. Isn't he a . . ."

"He was a great ninja at one time. He's one of the Sannin, one of the most powerful ninja to emerge from Konoha. And now, he's . . . rumors strongly persist he isn't even human anymore, Fuu."

"Wow," Fuu says softly.

"That's not the word I would use for him." I take a deep breath and sigh. "The word I would use is _monster_."

Fuu doesn't reply.

"And . . . if it comes to it . . . I will kill him. Orochimaru won't touch anything in this village. Not while I'm here to protect it."

I look at her right in the eyes. "That is a promise I am going to keep, as your _nakama_, as Naruto's mother, and as the guardian of Konoha. I swear it on my life, Orochimaru will _die_ before he harms anyone or anything in Konoha."

Fuu doesn't reply to that either. She just looks down, lost in thought.

I don't think words can describe what it feels like to be possibly facing Orochimaru anyway. It's just something that's beyond mere words . . . it's beyond anything that makes us human . . .

* * *

"Kakashi's late," Hiruzen groans as seven of us are situated in the office. I recognize several of the ninja here with us, including Genma Shiranui, the man known as both 'Tenzo' and 'Yamato', and Yugao Uzuki.

And, perhaps not surprisingly, Mikoto Uchiha. Everyone here is a jonin, and are strong ones at that. This mission must be serious.

Then again, this _is_ Orochimaru, the Sannin, the "monster" who "comes to naughty children in the night and devours them", as parents tell their kids in this village.

I've barely met him other than the time he tried to use Minato as an experiment when we were chuunin. For what, I don't know and I don't care, but he was doing _something_ to the man I loved, possessing him like Minato was just a puppet, and I made Orochimaru pay for it with some _grievous_ injuries.

It was also one of the few times I ever lost control of the Nine-Tails, apparently I had advanced all the way into the Five-Tails transformation trying to save Minato but wound up going berserk and I needed to be restrained. Which they did . . . and when Minato accepted the truth about me afterwards, that I was a jinchuuriki, that there was a demon inside me . . . I knew, more than ever before, that the man I loved would be the man I'd marry.

Orochimaru, from what little I saw him, barely seemed human to me back then, and who knows what the hell he looks like now.

But if I see him, I'm going to end him. He's better off dead than brought here to Konoha. I don't want even the tiniest possibility of him escaping and possibly using my son as the subject of his _next_ experiment. And my son would be a logical target. Anko Mitarashi was one of Orochimaru's genin, after all, and she's now training my son.

So Orochimaru would be better off dead than anything else.

_It's amazing how ruthless you become when you decide someone or something is a monster, woman._

How long are you going to keep this up, beast? It's what has to be done to protect my son!

_And yet you blame how bloodthirsty you get on me. Have you ever thought that's who you _really_ are, and all my chakra does is _liberate_ you?_

I'm not even going to justify that with a response.

_That is a response in itself_.

I am going to dive down into my seal and strangle that beast myself if this keeps up for much longer. Why the hell is the Nine-Tails being so talkative all of a sudden? I don't like being constantly reminded that it can read my thoughts and see everything that I do.

"Are you all right, Kushina?" Mikoto asks.

"I'm fine," I reply.

"You had a strained look on your face," Mikoto says. "That doesn't say 'fine' to me."

I force a smile. "The Nine-Tails is being chatty, that's all."

"Ah." Mikoto nods her head. "I understand. Any idea why?"

"Not a clue. It's just felt like talking a lot more than usual since the Youko Ochiai mission," I reply.

"It probably has a reason, though I admit I'm projecting human feelings onto it," Mikoto says.

I hear the Nine-Tails make a growling sound at that remark. It wasn't pleased about _that_ at all.

Finally, Kakashi comes in. "I apologize for my tardiness. I discovered that the mythical pixie does exist, but when I tried to capture it, it blinded my non-Sharingan eye, and I wound up becoming dreadfully lost on the way here."

Okay. Even by Kakashi's standards, that excuse for being late is out there. I'll give him creativity points, though.

Hiruzen, for his part, just ignores Kakashi's rambling. "All right, all of you, cut the chatter. We need to get moving right away. This is an S-ranked mission, probably fraught with lethal danger. This is the closest we have come to tracking down Orochimaru since he left the village."

"We haven't tracked him down for certain," Mikoto says. "All we've done is find a possible hideout."

"This 'possible hideout', Mikoto Uchiha, could either give us Orochimaru or find us another way to capture him," Hiruzen replies. "We must explore this avenue before Orochimaru has it closed off. There was an irregular pattern in which Youko Ochiai seemed to report to the southern hideout, which works in our favor. We've also suppressed the information stating that Youko Ochiai was compromised and killed."

Hiruzen folds his hands in front of him. "But the moment Orochimaru thinks his isle is unprotected, he will abandon it, and we'll lose him. Even if he is not there, any information pertaining to tracking him down or discovering what his plans are . . . it will all be useful."

Genma Shiranui studies the map. "We don't have any intelligence as to what we could be facing there. Are you sure that just eight of us can do this?"

"I probably make up a lot of the difference," I reply. "I _am_ the jinchuuriki, after all."

Genma sighs. "True." He's a handsome, if a bit prickly, young man. He has the same nasty smoking habit as Asuma, except Genma's preferred cigarettes tend to smell even more disgusting than Asuma's.

"Right now, we are just doing a preliminary investigation. I will be dispatching another team to follow you and provide backup in the event that combat becomes a necessity," Hiruzen says.

His tone seems to be already approaching finalty. He must _really_ be in a rush to deploy us. "Kakashi Hatake is in charge of this mission. Kushina Uzumaki will be working as his direct subordinate. They will dictate the plan for observing and possibly assaulting this isle hideout."

So I have responsibility now, Hiruzen? All right. You trust me, I can do it. I don't usually take leadership positions _ever_ but I'll make an exception for this one.

"You are all dismissed. Leave _immediately_," Hiruzen orders. "Use your best judgment possible for this mission. Orochimaru is not a typical shinobi."

He nods. "Good luck, to all of you."

Kakashi just groans. "Lovely. Just what I need. _Responsibility_."

"Thank your cracked ribs for that," I reply.

Kakashi just shakes his head.

That's kind of how I feel to be honest. Just exhausted and reluctant.

"All right," Kakashi says. "Everyone, follow me. We need to move fast. Tenzo, you and Genma take the rear. Kushina, you take point with me. We need to _move, _just like the Lord Hokage said."  
Tenzo, after his usual protest to be called 'Yamato', does reluctantly do what he was ordered to do, and then we leave Hiruzen's office.

Just like that, a mission. A really rushed mission. That's the kind of mission where a lot of things can go wrong and go wrong early and ultimately cost the team the chance of a successful mission.

And this is up against Orochimaru as well. If anything goes wrong, anything . . .

I just need to remind myself that I promised Naruto I would return. I have not broken a promise to Naruto at all since I returned to his life, and I'm not starting now.

I will be there for him.

But I also need to be there for my village.

And that means . . . could mean . . .

Getting a preview of hell at Orochimaru's hands before I can return to living.

* * *

I snuck in a reference to the superb fic "The Girl From Whirlpool" if people care to find it. Actually, the reference is pretty blatant. :3

I apologize for the first scene as well. It's something that had to be written because of what happened in chapter forty. I wrote myself into a corner regarding Doto Kazahana and I had to write myself out of it, and this is the aftereffect of that. It had to be addressed.

Naruto is not a crybaby. But he has permission to cry alone with his mom. Boys will do that. Especially a boy who not only saw and felt a vision of his demise, but his mother suffering a truly horrific death as well. Naruto needed to get his security cling in. Now that his security cling is over and he feels better, he'll eventually shake it off. But it had to be written.

Thanks for reading.


	46. Loyalty

Well, I can safely announce that I've completed _The Redeemer_. The fic ends at chapter 60. It is the first long-form fanfiction I have ever completed.

However, the story will not end there. I decided to break what would be two really long fics into four shorter ones for readers' sanity as well as my own.

For now, I'm not going to accelerate my posting schedule. If I start work on the sequel earlier than anticipated I may hurry it up. But don't count on it.

Anyway, chapter 46. It's going up now because I can't guarantee it'll go up tomorrow. Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Six: Loyalty**

This is the most straightforward mission I've had for a while. No detours. No secondary objectives. There is one objective, and one objective only, make it to the base and investigate. Everything else falls underneath that objective, including capturing or killing Orochimaru.

But if I see him, I'm going to kill him. I want him dead. Not just for what he did to Minato for that twisted experiment when we had been mere teenagers. Not just because of what he did to Anko, planting that curse mark on her that she has to fight every moment she's breathing. Not even the threat he poses to Naruto and my village.

It's for _everything_ he has ever done to every single soul who has had the misfortune to encounter him.

I will not run away from a monster. I'll just consider myself lucky that Orochimaru didn't prey on Naruto when I taking my eight-year leave of absence.

_Who says Anko Mitarashi isn't his way of preying on Naruto_?

Beast, one more word . . .

_Your idle threats mean nothing, woman. You may have me sealed inside you, and you may have my power sealed off as well, but you cannot seal away my voice._

I didn't hear your voice for much of my childhood. I can always have the seal reinforced to silence you all over again.

_It would cost you valuable power, woman. Power that you've had a taste of. You're not willing to give that power up, are you?_

Why is the Nine-Tails doing this to me? Why?

I don't want to think about what Anko did to my son right now. I don't want to think about power. What is the Nine-Tails telling me? And why does it hurt, even though I don't know?

_You know why it hurts, woman. You're just not willing to face why._

Damn it, damn it, _damn it_!

"Kushina?"

Mikoto. Thank the heavens she spoke up just now. I was about to go crazy. I don't want a repeat of my years in exile with the beast tearing me down at will. Never again.

"Mikoto, we're almost there. We can't talk for long," I say.

We're walking through a forest with scarcely an obvious trail. There's a mist hanging over us as well, even though it's the middle of the afternoon. That's making me nervous. Mist is supposed to fade away by the afternoon. It's not supposed to be _this_ thick.

Part of me wonders whether this is natural.

"You look like you've been having another conversation with the demon," Mikoto says.

"I probably look constipated or something, don't I?" I ask.

"I wouldn't say it like _that_, but . . . the word 'displeased' comes to mind," Mikoto replies.

I haven't heard Mikoto sounding wry in _ages_. Still, I'm not going to complain. Her words are making me feel better, though.

"That's an understatement," I say. "The Nine-Tails is giving me a lot of grief right now."

"Mmm." Mikoto sighs after a second. "Again, I can't dream what it's like to live with what you have, Kushina. I wonder why you never wish to be without the beast."

"There's no point is wishing what could have been," I reply.

"You do wish for other things, Kushina, don't give me that," Mikoto says. "I don't want to get too personal, but I know you wish you had stayed in Konoha instead of running away for eight years."

"Just because I do wish for it sometimes doesn't mean I don't know there's no point," I reply. "I can't help but second-guess some things I've done, Mikoto, but I know it changes nothing."

"I don't agree," Mikoto says.

"Really?" I ask. I wasn't expecting _that_ response from Mikoto at all.

"I think that second-guessing keeps us from repeating our mistakes," Mikoto says. "I know what my mistake was when Itachi slaughtered my clan. I won't make the same mistake again."

And . . . Mikoto's back to scaring me again, just like that. Except I'm scared for her instead of being scared of myself.

"Your mistake?" I ask. "I don't see what kind of mistake you made that night. There was no way you could have known."

Mikoto looks down, away from my gaze. "It's not something anyone else can understand."

"Mikoto-"

"Don't say you'll understand, Kushina. My clan is dead because of my mistake, all dead other than Sasuke. It's the kind of violence that should not happen anymore. I should've seen the signs, and I did not, and my clan paid the price."

What's she talking about? What mistake is she talking about? She can't seriously be suggesting bringing me back was her mistake, is it?

No, it has to be something else. It has to involve Itachi. Perhaps Itachi was giving off a warning sign or something and Mikoto had ignored it? Is that what she's talking about now? That I can understand as a 'mistake', in a sense Mikoto is blaming herself for the death of her clan the same way I blame myself for killing ten people twelve years ago and condemning so many others to truncated lives of suffering and pain.

"Don't blame yourself for missing a warning signal Itachi may have given off, Mikoto," I say. "I don't think what Itachi did could have been prevented by one person."

Mikoto looks up at me. "Yes, it could have. I may have lacked the power Itachi has, but if I had noticed there was something wrong with him . . . I could have stopped it, Kushina. Then things wouldn't have turned out the way they are now."

She looks away from him. "Itachi was _thirteen years old_, Kushina. No one expected him to be capable of something that, slaughtering our clan. We all just let him . . . let him . . ."

Mikoto shakes her head fervently. I know she's remembering something traumatic. It's obvious on her face. "Mikoto, please. It's not your fault. It's really not."

"It was my _son_, Kushina. My . . ."

Kakashi holds up his hand. "Cut the chatter. Look up ahead."

"Up ahead?" As much as I want to comfort Mikoto right now, I know I can't. Not right now. This is business now.

I run up to him, and then I see it.

The remains of what looks like a smashed tower.

"What is this place?" I ask to no one in particular.

Tenzo pulls out a map. "It's said to be where part of the Sky Country crashed during the middle of the Second Shinobi war. People have been trying to get into the ruins for _years_ but have been unable to."

"Suspicious," Kakashi says.

"Suspicious?" Genma Shiranui asks.

"Yes. This is very close to the location designated through Youko Ochiai's information," Kakashi says. "We're off by a couple of miles."

It hits me then. "You're saying Orochimaru may be studying the ruins, then."

"Wouldn't surprise me. Sky Country had capabilities that seem out of a science-fiction author's head. We use some of the recovered Sky Country technology in our own villages now, such as the radio," Kakashi replies.

"Didn't know that came from Sky Country," Genma replies.

"Sky Country brought the Second Shinobi World War to an end," Tenzo says. "Sky Country thought its advanced technology could bring down all of the great Shinobi nations, which were warring with each other, in one fell swoop. Instead, what Sky Country did was unify every single nation, great and minor, against them, and they were overwhelmed. Most of it crashed in various spots in the Land of Fire."

"Huh. Guess that explains why Konoha got so dominant inbetween that and the Third Shinobi World War," I reply. "All of the technology fell right into our hands."

"Exactly," Kakashi says. He carefully walks out into the field, and stares at the ruin for a moment. He shakes his head. "It's safe."

"Should we search for an entrance?" Yugao Uzuki asks as we walk up to Kakashi.

Kakashi shakes his head. "No. Not unless we know for sure that this ruin is connected to Orochimaru's hideout."

"Besides," Tenzo says. "No one has found a way into this place. There's some kind of chakra seal over every single door. I've tried to break in myself. No luck."

I stare at one of the doors. The symbol on it looks rather familiar to me for some reason. I squint and take a few steps closer to get a better look.

And then it hits me.

It's the exact same symbol I saw on the door in the Land of Snow. The symbol that glowed to prevent the "hands" as Naruto and Ryuuzetsu had called them from ensnaring all of us. A combination of a five-point star, a cross, and a crescent, merged together into a cohesive pattern.

Why? Why the same pattern?

And . . . and if this place is like that hidden knoll in the Land of Snow at all . . .

If we get inside . . .

"Kushina?" Kakashi asks.

Damn it. I have to get everyone away from this place. Now.

"We shouldn't explore this ruin," I say. I don't know how to explain the danger to them. I don't want to pique their curiosity any further, but . . . how? How can I make them understand without telling them what nearly killed me in the Land of Snow?

"I've seen this kind of symbol before, I saw it during my travels when I was . . . was on my sabbatical. That seal is designed to keep something _in_, Kakashi, not to keep us _out_."

Kakashi's lone visible eye widens. "Really?"

"Yes. It's very likely something meant to contain a destructive power or being." Then it hits me. The perfect way to keep this ruin from being explored. "I think _plenty_ of people have found a way inside. They just don't get _out_."

They _stare_ at me.

"We need to let sleeping dogs lie," I say. "Especially when we're on our way to face Orochimaru."

I hear the Nine-Tails chuckle.

_Sly, woman. Sly like a fox. Why am I not surprised?_

I ignore the beast. "You need to trust me. This place . . . needs to be left alone. Please."

"Well?" Tenzo asks. "Should we take her word for it, Kakashi?"

Kakashi sighs in dismay. "This is why I wish _you_ were put in charge, Tenzo."

"'Yamato', Kakashi."

"Yes, Tenzo." Kakashi sighs. "Fine. I'll follow your advice, Kushina. But on our way back, I'm going to know a lot more about what you're talking about. Clear?"

"Clear, Kakashi." It takes everything I have to not sigh in relief. At least now I have enough time to concoct a story.

_Amazing how fear turns you into a scheming liar. It's fascinating to see you become someone similar to that Koyuki Kazahana you despise so much._

That is, if the Nine-Tails would _ever shut up_.

Damn it.

* * *

After about an hour of more walking, I see it. A pair of metal doors at the side of a small mountain. We've all stopped at the edge of the forest, joined by the small amount of reinforcements Hiruzen had promised us. The mist has continued to engulf the area, and we're all getting soaked without a single drop of rain falling on us.

"So . . . should we spent time looking for an alternate entrance, or just charge in there, search and destroy?" Tenzo asks. "I don't know if we have the time to sneak around. For all we know, they may already know we're here."

"That's what I'm thinking," Kakashi says. "It's been almost ten days since Youko Ochiai was compromised. We-"

"The door's opening," Mikoto says.

The door opens, and then three ninja come dashing out of the place, all carrying something heavy on their backs.

"Kushina, Mikoto. You two and I, on the trail, _now_," Kakashi instructs.

I move immediately, jumping into the trees and following the movements of the ninja. They all look like men, covered in masks, none of them have identifying forehead protectors.

"Take 'em," I hear Kakashi say.

I jump out then, directly behind the one closest to the left, and seize him from behind. He can barely gasp in surprise before I jump in the air, using my chakra to boost my strength and agility, leaping right back into the forest before I spin around and bash him on the top of the had, and I let him crumple to the ground.

I look up at Kakashi and Mikoto, and see they have done the same thing. Only Mikoto's target looks anywhere _close_ to conscious.

Tenzo approaches us. "I'll interrogate him."

He bends down in front of the groaning man. "Mind telling us what's going on here?"

"Screw you," the man says.

Tenzo pulls out a kunai knife. "Don't make me ask you again. We know this is Orochimaru's hideout. Is he there?"

"Go inside and find out."

Tenzo sighs. "Yugao, do us a favor and cover his mouth."

"Yes, sir." Yugao bends down and her right hand immediately covers the man's mouth and her left arm goes around the man's head.

Tenzo gives the man a cold, detached look. "You asked for this."

Just as Tenzo is about the plunge the knife right into the man's thigh, the man's defiance vanishes. "Wait, wait! Stop!" he wails through Yugao's hand.

Tenzo's kunai pauses, an inch of so right above the man's thigh. "Yugao, let him talk."

"Yes, sir." Yugao keeps her left arm around the man's head, though.

"L-Look, Orochimaru isn't inside, all right? He ain't stupid. He knows the place has been compromised. We're in the middle of extracting everything and everyone important."

"I see. Who _is_ inside?" Tenzo asks.

"Uh . . . some medical patient, one of Orochimaru's top shinobi. We've got some old doctor man who knows some serious healing techniques and a boy and girl tending to him too. Plus a bunch of prisoners."

"Any traps we should worry about?" Tenzo asks.

"Uh . . . gas. We can't evacuate the gas canisters, so they're still primed and ready to go. All the other traps are deactivated so we can leave without a hitch."

Tenzo's eyes narrow.

"I'm not lying! Damn it, I just want to live here!"

The man begins to shake a little. "I know you're ANBU types. You may be all dressed up like normal jonin for convenience or something, but I can see it in your eyes, and in the woman's eyes, too. I know you two at least would escape and then hunt me down like a dog if I was lying."

Tenzo sighs. "Stop babbling."

He looks up at Yugao and gives her a nod.

Yugao promptly whacks the man in the head and he falls to the ground, unconscious.

"All right. It sounds like we've got a straight route into the facility," Tenzo says. "Of course, the traps _could_ reactivate the moment we get inside, so if we're going to rush our way in there, we'd best make it fast."

Mikoto steps in. "Orochimaru was confirmed by this man to not be in there. Is it really worth it to enter the facility?"

Kakashi nods. "The medical patient would be worth it, I'm sure. He was made to sound pretty important. He might know where Orochimaru currently is, or what Orochimaru's plans are. We can't pass up this opportunity."

Kakashi moves past us, and looks at the entrance. "We've got no choice. We're going to blast our way inside and then split up into small squads or pairs or whatever's necessary to search the facility and find that patient. Free whatever prisoners you find so they can escape."

He takes a deep breath. "I'm going to blast the door open. Everyone else, follow me!"

Suddenly, Kakashi takes off at top speed out of the wood, charging full speed towards the door.

I know I can't fall behind. If we're going to go for a surprise attack, we _all_ have to get inside and quick! "Everyone, follow me!" I shout, and I tear out of the forest as well, just as Kakashi's right hand begins glowing.

"_Lightning Blade_!" Kakashi calls out, and his hand slams right into the doors and blows them both open.

The mission is truly on.

* * *

The guards at the door were mostly disabled by the doors Kakashi blew open, and quickly, after finishing them off, we begin running through what is clearly a labyrinth of tunnels. "Pairs!" Kakashi shouts. "Tenzo, with me! Yugao, you go with Genma! The two Hyugas pair off with the others!"

"It's 'Yamato', Kakashi!" Tenzo replies, but he follows Kakashi.

"All right! Mikoto, with me!" I shout to Mikoto, and I make a left down another tunnel. I take a moment to listen as I charge down the corridor, and I hear Mikoto's breaths and footfalls.

Good. She adjusted well on the fly.

I take a moment to look back towards her, mostly with my eyes. "You doing all right back there?"

"I've been a jonin for almost five months," Mikoto replies. "I'm fine, Kushina!"

"Back me up! I'll be the one breaking and entering!" I order.

"Understood, Kushina!" Mikoto answers.

We round a corner, and I see bars. Lots of them. I look inside, and I see . . . I see . . .

Corpses. Lots of them.

The scent makes me gag, and I look away from the disgusting, horrific sight before it can burn into my memory.

"Damn it." It takes me a moment to realize that's my own voice.

Mikoto peers inside. "They died recently. Rigor mortis hasn't set in yet. Probably a couple of hours ago."

"They probably couldn't take them with and so they just killed them," I say. "Despicable."

Mikoto sighs. "If the prisoners knew anything about what Orochimaru was up to here, they took it to their graves. A cruel yet effective strategy."

I walk to the next set of bars, and see the exact same thing. Fresh corpses, all strewn across a bloody floor in no formal pattern. There's more lighting in this one, they all look like they've had small holes punched through their bodies, like they were all impaled at the same time.

Someone really powerful did this. That much is clear. Likely a powerful ninja or even Orochimaru himself. No one else would be capable of murdering so many people in the exact same way at the same time.

I feel the Nine-Tails salivate. It _likes_ the scent of human death. As if I needed more proof as to how deplorable the demon really is.

"Let's keep going," I say. "I don't hear any breathing, any calling for help. They're all dead."

"You can tell?" Mikoto asks.

"My senses are heightened thanks to the Nine-Tails," I reply. "I'd know if there was a third person breathing in this hallway. I hear no one."

My hands ache. I look down, and I see they've clenched into fists so tight my knuckles have turned as white as snow. I force my hands to re-open, and physical relief spreads through them, but it also feels like my hands are stone and I'm trying to budge them.

Damn Orochimaru. Words can't describe the horror he's just done, either personally or through proxy. Nothing other than _massacre_.

"Mikoto . . . please follow me," I say. I charge down the hallway, ignoring the scent of death the best I can, and I see a door right ahead of me, and the only way to continue down the hallway would be to make a right.

Might as well check the door first.

I run right up to it, slowing to a careful walk as I approach. I make a quick glance to my right, and I see nothing. Torches light the way, and I don't hear any voices or see any signs of life. What I do see are doors. Lots of them.

I lean up against the first door, and listen. I hear a soft, masculine voice.

"It's not working . . ."

A raspy voice, could be either boy or girl. "I don't understand. Master, why are none of our treatments working? What kind of disease is this?"

A deep, rumbling voice, sounds fifty or sixty. "It's unlike anything I've ever seen. It's not like a poison or an infection like what I cured you of. It's more like his entire _blood_ is becoming diseased and it's slowly spreading to his muscles and bones."

"If you know what it's doing, why can't you help me?" the soft, masculine voice growls.

"I can't pinpoint why," says the deep, aged voice. "I told Orochimaru that your disease is like nothing I've ever seen. I don't know if I can do anything to help you."

A sharp, girlish voice. "Then your apprentice is gonna die, old man! That was Orochimaru's terms! Save him or your apprentice dies!"

I hear the raspy voice cry out all of a sudden, and I immediately reach into my holster and pull out a shuriken.

"Let me go!" the raspy voice yells.

The sharp, girlish voice. "Do something, doctor!" she orders. "The Leaf ninja are gonna be here soon! That's what Orochimaru said! For all we know, they could be inside this prison right now!"

"Or listening right outside the door," the deep, aged voice says, almost in a knowing tone.

He knows I'm here.

And he's telling me to come inside right now and stop this.

Fine. I can do that.

I kick the door down and jump inside, and I see four individuals as I quickly scan the room.

Straight ahead, I see a man with long white hair, golden eyes, wearing colorful robes.

To my right, there is a white-haired young man with teal eyes and strange blotches under his eyes. He's laying in a bed, partially covered in sheets.

And then, to the right of the young man, are two other people. One's a girl around Naruto's age with glasses and short red hair almost like mine in its shade. She has a kunai at the throat of an androgynous child with blue eyes, brown skin, and dark red hair tied up in a navy-blue bandanna, who also in the twelve-thirteen range.

The glasses-wearing girl's red eyes widen. "What the-"

I aim for her right shoulder and throw the shuriken. The girl shrieks in pain as it connects and the androgynous child is set free. I run forward and slam the girl into the wall. "That's _enough_."

Then I feel something change in the air. Something's wrong. To my left-

"Larch Dance."

I jump away as white blades suddenly blast out of the young man, more than one coming right at my body. I back away, shielding both the child and the older man, drawing a kunai.

The glasses-wearing girl yanks the shuriken out of her shoulder, groaning in pain. "Damn it! Why couldn't ya do that earlier, jerk! I'm not one of the freaks around here who enjoys being in pain, contrary to popular belief!"

"Karin, shut up." The white-haired young man lurches out of the bed, the thin, claw-like white blades sticking out of him in various, almost random places.

"You don't tell me to shut up! I've been trying to help you for the last two weeks, idiot!" The girl named 'Karin' rolls back her right arm's sleeve, and I'm stunned by what I see. Bite marks, lots of them, all over that arm.

"_This_ was to help you!" Karin yells.

"And it didn't, so you're trash to me," the young man says softly. "Just stay out of my way."

The white blades retract inside of him. He instead adopts a pose. "Camellia Dance."

A white blade emerges from his right arm, and he yanks the blade out of his arm and points it at me like it's a sword.

"That . . . that looks like a _bone_." Mikoto's voice. She's inside the room too, somewhere behind me.

The young man doesn't smile, or even nod. "You're right. It is a bone. That is the nature of my ninjutsu. I turn my bones into weapons."

I've heard about this, but I had no idea it was actually true! That there were people out there who could turn their _bones_ into weapons! It was a clan long thought to be extinct, according to one of the books I had with me!

"You . . . you're from the Kaguya clan, aren't you?" I ask.

The young man again looks impassive. "Your point?"

"I thought they were gone! Vanished from existence!"

Karin chuckles from behind the young man. "Well, guess what, lady, you are _wrong_. There's one left, and he's the jerk I've been trying to save for the last couple of weeks. But even though he's sick, he still kicks a _ton_ of ass. You and your gal pal over there are gonna find that out the hard way."

"Karin, shut up, or I will shut you up _permanently_," the young man says quietly.

Karin growls. "Then kill 'em so I don't have to talk to 'em anymore!"

"That was what I was going to do," the young man says.

I prepare myself. "You are aware you are fighting an Uzumaki _and_ an Uchiha. It would be best if you just surrender."

"Your clan designations mean nothing. You both could be elite, or you both could be trash. Regardless, it doesn't matter. I serve my master, Orochimaru, and I will serve him faithfully by killing you both or die trying."

He looks towards the doctor and the child. "Shinnou, Amaru, please move out of the room. You two may still be useful. I don't want to kill either of you by accident."

The child's eyes widen. "Really? What if we escape?"

The young man replies with finalty. "You won't escape. I just prefer that you both survive, that's all."

"Come on, Amaru," the man whispers.

"And you're not concerned about _my survival_?" Karin shrieks as I feel Shinnou and Amaru brush past me as they head out into the hall.

"No. I am not. You can't save me. That much is clear."

His eyes narrow, just a bit, but his voice doesn't lose that detached softness. In fact, he sounds even more distant and soft than before. "I am Kimimaro of the Kaguya clan. And you two will serve Orochimaru's goals by dying at my hands."

Suddenly, he rushes forward, grim determination in his eyes.

And the battle begins.


	47. Purpose

Special Memorial Day bonus post! Enjoy, and remember who have fought and died for our freedom to do whatever we want . . . including posting fanfiction.

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Seven: Purpose**

_Clang_.

Kimimaro's bone sword connects with my kunai, and I can sense the young man has some serious strength. He tries to angle his slash in a way to twist the kunai out of my hand, but I infuse chakra into my hand, making it stronger and able to withstand Kimimaro.

"C'mon, Kimimaro! Just kill her already!" Karin yells.

"Shut up, trash," Kimimaro says softly. "I'm working on it."

"Hey, I'm trying to cheer you on! Don't be an unappreciative dolt!"

Kimimaro sighs. "Karin, you're _seriously_ not helping."

Karin begins making odd poses behind Kimimaro. "Kimi, Kimi, he's our girly man! If he can't fight girls, no man can!"

Must stay focused. Must stay focused.

I am sure Karin is doing this just to try to distract me from Kimimaro. As I look up at Kimimaro, just to keep track of him, I see just a flicker of anger flash in his eyes. "_Karin_ . . ."

"What? I made it rhyme. Gotta give me points for _that_ one, Kimi-honey."

I see movement from my left. It's Mikoto, charging in with a pair of kunai herself, ready to stab Kimimaro.

Kimimaro's eyes move towards Mikoto. "Willow Dance."

Bone swords jut out from his body all of a sudden, and I have to back up, to the wall, in order to keep any of them from spearing me. Kimimaro begins to throw himself all over the room, the sprouted bones moving in some sort of odd pattern against both Mikoto and I, like he's using ten blades at once instead of just one.

I back out of the room, and Kimimaro follows, continuing to twirl around keep both Mikoto and I at bay. He moves with an uncommon grace, I can see why he calls his fighting styles "dances". It's almost exactly that, a type of fighting dance, where his entire body is the sheath for as many as a dozen swords, or at least it seems that way.

"That's right!" Karin yells. "Keep doing the girly-dance-thing, Kimi-honey! I think it's working!"

Kimimaro does not look amused. "Call me 'Kimi-honey' one more time, Karin . . ."

"Oh fine! 'Kimi-sweetie', does that sound better?"

"I don't want a pet name _period_, trash." He re-focuses then, and begins his assault once more, but I quickly put him in a deadlock and twist him out into the hallway.

"I think he likes me," Karin says conspiratorially.

If I didn't know better, Kimimaro looks like he wants to vomit.

But then he does something _different_ and yet so similar at the same time.

He coughs.

Violently.

It all goes into his left hand, his eyes widening in surprise. Even without him moving his hand away, I see the blood dripping down his hand, onto his arm, onto the ground.

He _is_ sick.

And he left me an opening right in his stomach. If I kick him carefully . . .

I run forward and angle my kick so I don't touch any of the bones sticking out of his body. I hit him on his right side and he crashes into the wall _hard_, and I hear several _snaps_ as several of the bones sticking out of him break.

"Kimimaro!" Karin yells in alarm.

I hear the aged doctor, Shinnou, behind us as well. "His blood disease is progressing rapidly. Within a month he was probably going to be bedridden on a constant basis. I don't give him more than three, maybe four months to live."

Kimimaro coughs up more blood again, and he speaks with raw determination despite his soft, suddenly-throaty tone. "I . . . am not giving up. Not for Orochimaru."

He staggers to his feet. "I have accomplished everything Orochimaru has asked of me. I will not fail now. Willow Dance."

The bones shoot right back out of him like nothing happened.

I put away my kunai. I'm not going to have another duel right now. Instead, I draw my Habanero Ninjatou and ignite it.

I want to intimidate him. Bone can't withstand fire. The message I'm sending is clear: accept defeat. A blade of fire will cut through his bones like a knife through butter.

This is Kimimaro's weakness. His weakness is everything the human body is weak to. Anything that can damage the body, anything that can destroy or break bone. And fire is one of the body's most lethal weaknesses. We transform into ash just like every other living creature or plant.

Kimimaro's eyes widen slightly as he sees my blade of fire. I did catch him off guard, then.

I brandish the blade of fire in front of him just to drive the point home. "Kimimaro, you know that this blade will destroy those bones sticking out of your body like nothing else."

Kimimaro's eyes harden. "I am not afraid of death, Uzumaki . . . _Kushina_ Uzumaki."

"So you know who I am." Not that I'm surprised. Orochimaru knows who _I_ am, why would he hide the information from his subordinates?

"It became obvious who you were the moment you said you were an Uzumaki and an Uchiha," Kimimaro says. "The A-rank jonin who attacked her own village and vanishes for eight years suddenly returns and becomes an S-rank immediately thereafter. It's a fascinating progression according to the bingo book."

_Again_ with people doubting my credentials as an S-rank jonin. Doto Kazahana doubted it, Nadare Roga doubted it, and countless people in the last four years have doubted it on some of my other missions. And they all learned the truth the hard way.

"How about I demonstrate why I'm an S-rank?" I ask rhetorically, extinguishing the ninjatou putting it away. Since intimidation won't work, I'll just use my best technique and wrap him up. "Chakra Chains Technique!"

I summon four chains to life and take them in my hands. Kimimaro doesn't react, and his voice is soft as always in reply. "Your Chakra Chains. Your signature technique."

"Mikoto!" I order. "Take Karin prisoner! Hurry!"

"Wait, _what_?" Karin cries out in surprise. There's a brief pause as I see Mikoto move in on her out of the corner of my eye.

"Oh _crap_," Karin groans. "I _am_ important, aren't I?"

Mikoto promptly puts Karin in a submissive hold and swiftly ties rope around Karin's hands. "She's secure, Kushina!"

"Thank you." Now for Kimimaro.

He seems to be studying me. Seeing if my fighting posture has any clear weaknesses, or whether I'm taking him too lightly, perhaps? Or is he waiting for me to lose focus in such a way to _give_ him an opening? After all, I did give part of my focus to Mikoto restraining Karin for a few seconds, there. Why didn't Kimimaro strike then?

Maybe whatever just made him cough up blood is still ravaging his system and he just doesn't have the energy to attack.

"What is this, a fight or a staring contest?" Karin shouts from behind me. "C'mon, Kimi-honey! Go do something impressive or something!"

"Trash, _please_ shut up," Kimimaro says in a voice that's more air than anything else. His voice still carries enough for me to hear him, though.

And apparently Karin heard him too. "Kimi-honey, you need to learn how to be appreciative! Most people find your bone-thing kinda creepy, ya know? I'm calling it "impressive"! It's a compliment and stuff!"

Kimimaro doesn't answer Karin. He just looks at me intently. I wonder if he's waiting for me to make the first move. If he thinks I'm worthy of the S-rank designation, he could be wanting to fight me defensively, concentrating on conserving his energy and then waiting for me to reach too far, then he'll strike.  
He has many of those bones. Depending on what kind of position I'm caught in, he could spear me with _any_ of them if I'm not too careful.

If I'm going to beat him, I'm going to have to take as many of those bones out of the equation as possible. Which one would be the best one to eliminate first, as long as Kimimaro is going to let me make the first move?

"This is _boring_!" Karin shouts from behind us. "You people just standing around like morons are wiping out all the tension! At least one of you say something cool, for the love of humanity!"

"_You're_ the one wiping out all the tension," Amaru snaps.

I wonder if Karin is being so loud and annoying intentionally to get me to drop my focus. Considering she's been restrained, she can't do much else right now.

All right. Karin wants to see some action? She's about to witness a lot of it.

I've pinpointed my target on Kimimaro's body. I have a sense of how he fights, he moves like he is dancing, using all of the bones protruding from his body like he's armed with a dozen swords. I'm going to need to snap them all and turn his unique strength into a debilitating weakness.

I gather my chains. Now or never.

I strike, throwing a chain at the bone protruding the highest, right out of his shoulder. Kimimaro moves to dodge it, moving left, but I take my second chain and manage to wrap it around the bone blade located by his stomach. I give it a swift yank and I hear a sharp, resonant _crack_. Not only have I snapped the blade, but I've knocked Kimimaro off balance too.

I don't give him a chance to recover. I throw my chains at every bone blade, and yank them one by one, repeating the process over and over. All Kimimaro can do is stagger around as I keep pulling him off balance.

Finally, I've eliminated the last one. Kimimaro lurches upright and stares at me coldly. "No one's defeated my Willow Dance so quickly. Not even Orochimaru is able to dispatch it so fast."

"You're learning why I am an S-rank," I reply. "Now surrender. You're a young man and we can help you in the Leaf Village."

His eyes narrow. "I will not fail Orochimaru."

He still won't surrender. Fine then, I'll knock him around until he sees sense.

I strike again and Kimimaro jumps away several times, though I scrape him twice with the sharp ends of my chains. I'm not aiming to do a lethal blow, I just want to wrap him up and capture him, but he's making it difficult. He's definitely A-rank from the looks of him.

"Digital Shrapnel," Kimimaro says all of a sudden.

Suddenly he takes a deep breath and I see white balls fire from his mouth. Just at the last second, I see that they're bones too. Little bone balls, being fired like bullets from the teppou I saw in the Land of Snow.

I spin my chains around, deflecting the bone shards and sending them crashing into the walls to my left and right, but just as I finish spinning, I see Kimimaro rushing me. I hear him shout "Camellia Dance!" and I see a sword appear in his hands.

Aggressive and risky. Too risky. I step aside and dodge Kimimaro's swipe, and before he can adjust his position I slam my knee right into his gut, and I feel his organs contract from the blow.

Kimimaro's eyes widen and he gasps out a soft, pained cry, like I've knocked the wind out of him. This is my chance. My best chance at ending this fight and taking him prisoner. I _have_ to seize it.

I send my chains and have them wrap around him, completely removing his ability to move. With a quick, forceful pull, I send Kimimaro crashing into the ground head-first, his arms and legs immobilized.

"_Now_ will you surrender?" I ask.

Kimimaro can still move his head, and his arms continue to struggle. There isn't much of a point, I've wrapped him up pretty tightly. He can't seriously think he can break out of this.

His eyes glare at me, but his voice is a soft wheeze. "You are formidable, Kushina Uzumaki. That much is clear. I did not respect your abilities enough and that was my mistake."

"The compliment is appreciated, but what I want to hear you right now is 'I surrender'," I reply.

"I will not," Kimimaro says.

"You can't win this fight, Kimimaro!" I reply. "You just experienced _why_ you can't win. Now, for the last time, surrender! I don't want to kill you."

Kimimaro looks away. "You're soft, even by the standards of your village. I find it hard to believe you would kill ten of your people and maim ninety-eight others."

Ninety-eight? That's how many people I hurt that day twelve years ago?

I knew the death toll. It was ten. Just ten. But . . . I never knew how many people I had hurt. I didn't want to know. It's cowardly of me, but . . .

I felt I could not live with myself if I knew how many people I have condemned to crippled lives filled with suffering.

Like Tsubaki, the love of Mizuki's life, who had committed suicide because she could no longer live with the pain. Her death spurring Mizuki to execute a depraved revenge quest, out of a desire to see me suffer too before I died. Ninety people I had condemned to suffering, that means ninety families who had to suffer with them, many others being friends and spouses.

Kimimaro looks at me impassively. "You act as though the death toll surprises you. Interesting."

"You didn't know, Kushina?" Mikoto asks from behind me.

That's not true. Not true. Not . . . _entirely_ true.

"You told me how many people died that night, remember, Mikoto?" I ask. "You told me that ten people died."

"I did. I'm talking about the total casualties, Kushina. You never knew?"

"No one told me . . . and I never sought out the information either," I reply. "I've met several of the people I injured on that night, and they never told me how many people I hurt. I didn't know I had hurt as many as _ninety_. How many people have I missed, Mikoto?"

"There's some you'll never meet. They died in-between twelve years ago and now," Mikoto says. "I think forty of the injured are still alive."

Forty. That's all that's left? And out of those forty, I've maybe met twenty of them, maybe twenty-five.

That's barely above twenty-five percent of all the people I hurt when I attacked Konoha. And even if I met the remainder of the injured who are still alive, I'd never make even _fifty_ percent. I'd never tell over half of the people I callously hurt in my grief and rage how sorry I am.

I know my apologies will never be good enough for some of the people I've hurt and the ones who love them. Sakura Haruno is at the top of that list. But . . . I wish . . . I wish I had the chance to just _try_, now that I can't change things for the better.

I hate that so much.

Kimimaro speaks then. "Interesting. You don't fear knowing of the dead but you fear those who have to live with the consequences of your actions. I never thought I would say this of an S-rank, but you are _trash_."

"Because you think I'm a coward?" I ask.

"No. Because you are _pathetic_." For the first time, Kimimaro is speaking with anger. His voice is still so soft, but there's bite behind his words. A vicious bite that makes me feel like my soul is being bludgeoned by a blunt instrument.

"Pathetic?"

"Correct. That is what you are, Kushina Uzumaki, despite all of your power, despite your designation. And I will not let myself be beaten by a pathetic person such as yourself!"

Suddenly, black symbols criss-cross their way across Kimimaro's face.

Karin knows what it means. And she finds it a _good_ thing. "Oh, you've gone and done it now! Kimi-honey's gonna open up a can of whoop-ass on you!"

A vicious wave of raw, unadulterated _power_ erupts inside those chains and all of a sudden I hear Kimimaro shout "Bracken Dance!"

The wave of energy is accompanied by a wave of bones cascading from where his body had once been. They're literally erupting from the ground, from the walls, and they won't stop!

"Everyone, pull back!" I shout as the bones begin to emerge right under my feet. I leap away before they blast out of the stone ground into existence. And they just do not stop _coming_!

"Too late!" the doctor, Shinnou, shouts. "He's cut us off!"

We're isolated in the little corner in the hallway, and I turn to my right. Kimimaro's bones _have_ cut us off. There's nowhere to run other than the room Kimimaro had been treated in.

"Everyone, inside!" I shout and I kick the door open. Everyone files inside, but just as the last person, Amaru, tries to get inside, I gather my chains. "Chakra Chains: Barrier!"

I cast a dome over all of us, and I make sure to adjust one of my chains so the dome is _under_ us too. Sure enough, Kimimaro's wave of bones tries to rise underneath our feet and my barrier just _barely_ holds. I can feel the barrier vibrating as dozens upon dozens, maybe even _hundreds_ of bones shattering as they try to pierce the barrier from below and fail.

Finally, it stops.

"Is it over?" Amaru asks.

"No," Shinnou speaks with the weight of a war veteran. "He realized he's not going to break through. He's going to try to outlast us."

"Damn it, Kimimaro!" Karin shrieks. "What the hell was _that_ for, huh? You coulda killed me too!"

Suddenly, I hear Kimimaro's voice. He sounds like he could be coming from _anywhere_, his voice is all around us. "That was the point."

"The point?" Karin asks, her red eyes widening in surprise.

"If I do not win this battle, I cannot allow you to fall into the hands of the Leaf Village. You know too much, Karin. If I must die, you must die too. And so must the doctor and his apprentice."

I hear a soft cough in the background. "None of us are going to make it out alive, Karin. All Kushina Uzumaki is doing is delaying the inevitable, which is another pathetic trait of people like her. They don't accept death with honor."

"Hey, don't I get a say in this 'dying' thing?" Karin yells.

"You lost that privilege the moment you allowed yourself to be restrained by Mikoto Uchiha," Kimimaro replies. "You're expendable, Karin."

"E-Expendable?" Karin gasps, her hands fidgeting nervously with her glasses.

"Expendable." Kimimaro says no more.

"Expendable? Me?" Karin whispers softly. "No . . . I'm not . . . I'm not . . ."

Mikoto looks at me. "How long can you keep the barrier up, Kushina?"

"It drains more chakra to have the barrier below us, but I can hold for a while," I reply. "We'll run out of air first before I run out of chakra. Let's concentrate on coming up with some sort of plan. Because if we don't, we're chancing that Kimimaro will run out of chakra before we run out of air. And if his reserves are anything like mine . . ."

Mikoto nods. "All right. Plan it is."

* * *

I carefully extend the barrier to cover all of Kimimaro's bed and all of the various supplies and instruments in the hospital room. I let in a small air hole every now and then, just for a few seconds at a time, but I have the feeling Kimimaro is watching everything we're doing. His voice was coming from _somewhere_, like from the very bones themselves.

"What the hell was that?" I ask Karin, who's just looking down, staring at the floor. "What did Kimimaro unleash?"

"The Cursed Seal of Earth," Karin says softly.

The title sounds familiar. Wait a minute . . .

"Is it related to the Cursed Seal of Heaven?" I ask.

"You know what the Cursed Seal of Heaven is?" Karin asks, surprised.

"I have a friend who suffers from it," I reply.

Karin sighs. "Lemme guess. Her name is Anko Mitarashi."

So she knows who Anko is. This girl _does_ know things. Hopefully Mikoto will realize that this means this girl must be kept safe and secure at all costs.

"Yes, that is her name," I reply.

Karin scoffs. "Orochimaru is _highly_ amused by her efforts to be a jonin-sensei. She's all lovey-dovey with her genin, hugging them and being all big-sister-y and that kinda B.S. She's making them soft."

"My son is _anything_ but soft," Mikoto snaps.

"Hey, just the messenger here," Karin replies, shrugging.

I need to get back to my original line of questioning. There's no time for arguing, though it's _interesting_ that Orochimaru knows so much about Anko being a jonin-sensei. I don't think Anko is an agent for Orochimaru, I would know _that _much by now, but someone else in Orochimaru's camp could be spying on Anko. And that's not a good thing at all.

But I can't probe that interesting bit of information. That's something Torture and Interrogation can find out when we bring Karin back to Konoha. "What does the Cursed Seal of Earth do?"

"It's pretty similar to the Heaven one, but the Cursed Seal of Earth is a little more _survivable_ but activating the seal causes several body alteration," Karin says. "If we see Kimimaro poke his head out, he's gonna have yellow-and-black eyes and brown skin. His powers have also greatly increased, as we just saw there with the bones he's shot everywhere."

"Do either of you have any reinforcements?" Shinnou asks.

"Yes. We came here with a whole team of experienced jonin," I reply. "Unfortunately, I have no idea where any of them are. For all I know, they could be trying to get through to us right now, or they've all been killed."

Amaru groans. "Great. So our rescuers need rescuing along with us."

Shinnou places his hand on Amaru's shoulder. "Don't give up yet. As we've seen, both of these women have great ability. They can get us out."

I hear a soft crack noise above me. Immediately, I seal the tiny air hole I had made above us, and a second later, a bone spike shoots out and slams into the barrier, making a sharp _crack_.

"He's begun noticing the tiny air holes," I say.

Mikoto looks out towards the door. "I think the quickest and easiest way to do this is for you to let down the barrier, and I attack with my Great Fireball Technique. It's more ferocious than the typical Fireball technique, and it may incinerate enough of the bones to give us a window to escape . . . or at least force Kimimaro to waste his chakra."

"He can hear us, ya know," Karin sighs. "He pretty much proved that the moment he trapped us in here."

"Hearing us is one thing,_ stopping_ us is another," Mikoto replies.

"True," I say. I look over at Shinnou and Amaru. "Do either of you have any objections?"

Shinnou shakes his head. "No, I don't. I'm prepared to protect Amaru with my life if necessary."

"Don't say that, master," Amaru replies softly.

"This time, the both of you, _run_ when we tell you to," Mikoto replies. "Why did either of you hesitate to run in the first place?"

"We were blindfolded," Amaru snaps. "We don't know where we are or how deep this place goes. All I know is this place is a deathtrap."

"I have heard terrible rumors about this place," Shinnou says. "Our chances of survival are superior being around you two women over the two of us making a run for it on our own."

"Does that count for me too?" Karin asks.

"Yeah," I reply.

That's when Kimimaro begins speaking again. "This is why I cannot trust you, Karin. You're far too concerned with your own survival for your own good. That is why you are trash. That is why you ultimately must be eliminated."

"Oh, go to hell, asshole!" Karin shouts. "I'm still loyal to Orochimaru and you know it!"

"Your survival won't help Orochimaru. Hence, you are _disloyal_, Karin."

A pause. "And, unfortunately, in spite of your dedicated efforts to help me, Shinnou, Amaru, I regretfully have to end the lives of the both of you as well. This is not the kind of repayment I had in mind for the either of you. Especially, you, Amaru. You're an innocent girl, the most innocent of us all."

"You're not sorry," Amaru snaps.

"You're a _girl_?" Karin asks, shocked.

"What did you think I was?" Amaru growls.

Karin's mouth falls open, her facial expression suggesting the end of the world rapidly approaching. "Holy crap! I thought you were like this really cute _guy_! A potential first boyfriend! Ohh, my life _sucks_! Can someone just kill me now?"

"I'll oblige," Kimimaro says. All of a sudden, the bone spikes surrounding us begin to burst out of the walls and the ground below us, trying to shatter the barrier. I immediately close up all air holes and reinforce the barrier with my chakra, but I'm already feeling a bit tired. I can't hold this barrage for very long.

"Damn it, Kimimaro! I didn't mean _literally_!" Karin shrieks.

"Mikoto, get your chakra ready! I think we need to execute your plan!" I shout.

Mikoto puts together a single hand-sign, the sign of the tiger. She's clearly experienced with the technique to only require one hand-sign. "Let the barrier down right by the door! The moment I say 'five', you let it down!"

"Got it!" I shout. I feel like my insides are being ripped apart. Kimimaro's barrage is no-holds-barred, likely because he's desperate himself.

"One! Two! Three! Four! Five!" Mikoto shouts.

"It's coming down!" I shout, and I consciously let down the barrier."Fire Style! Great Fireball Technique!" Mikoto lets out an enormous swath of flame from her mouth just as the spikes were about to breach, and they are incinerated immediately.

The fireball blasts right through the door, and Mikoto shouts "Run! Now! I'll cover all of you!"

She runs out the door, everyone following her. I hear Mikoto shout "Fire Style! Phoenix Flower Technique!" and more fire hissing as more bones are presumably destroyed.

I let down the barrier behind me and let my chains fall away. I ignite the Habanero Ninjatou instead and charge after the others, using my blade to slice through any bones erupting around me and disintergrate them all into ash to add insult to injury.

I run backwards behind the others, slashing at the bone spikes, refilling the chakra in the blade as I go. Kimimaro's striking with a _vengeance_. I'm able to keep up with the bones' attacks, but I don't know how much longer my stamina's going to keep up. Or Kimimaro's.

Either I'm going to wear down first, or he will instead.

Three spikes come right at me at the same time. I spin my blade, slashing two of them, but the third scrapes my side. It stings and I bite down on my tongue, just adding to my pain.

Four more of them. Kimimaro doesn't know when to give up. Too bad for him that I don't know when to give up either!

But that's when things change.

Ice spikes suddenly blast into existence, shattering the bone spikes uniformly, before the ice spikes vanish as quickly as they came, leaving no water behind.

That . . . that isn't like the ice techniques I saw in the Land of Snow. There's no water or ice down in this dungeon to use. The only way ice _period_ means that . . . that someone here has a kekkei genkai.

But who? Shinnou? Amaru?

"_Haku_!" Amaru shouts. "Haku! He finally found us! I told you he'd find us, Master!"

I spin around, and I see the most beautiful young man I have ever seen in my life walk inbetween Shinnou and Amaru. His eyes seem feminine, wide and brown with long eyelashes, and his long black hair, meticulously braided, is straight and sleek. Around his forehead is a protector proclaiming allegiance to the Village Hidden in the Mist.

"Hubba hubba, now _he's_ first boyfriend material," Karin says, her mouth open in amazement, and Amaru promptly whacks Karin on the head. "Ow! What was _that_ for?"

"Ruining the moment and being a pervert!" Amaru snaps.

Haku ignores all of it. "I apologize for being late, Doctor Shinnou, Amaru. It took all of my tracker skills to find you. I'm glad you're both still alive."

His eyes narrow as he sees me. "Leaf ninja? Here?"

"They're allies, Haku," Shinnou says. "I know you have a grudge against the Leaf, but let it slide. They're protecting us, same as you."

"I have no qualms with the Leaf. Just with one girl. The girl who took my original master away from me."

Bones erupt and I turn back around. One of the bones contorts and reveals Kimimaro. Just like Karin had predicted, his skin had turned brown and his eyes had become yellow-and-black. He looks almost bestial in this state, like something animalistic had gotten into his blood, but I can't place the feral characteristics on his face and body now. He looks incredibly disturbing and unnatural, though. Not a far cry away from what Youko Ochiai had transformed herself into just a week ago in a dungeon like this one.

"So you're the interloper," Kimimaro says softly.

Haku remains calm. "I am not an interloper. I am a weapon. And like all weapons, I move as my master demands. And my new master needs me to protect him and his apprentice."

He sets himself next to me. "Doctor Shinnou, I am ready."

His feminine eyes look to me, and it takes me a moment to see how completely and utterly _cold_ they are. What kind of harsh life had this boy led? He can't be much older than Naruto or Fuu.

"I am at your side, Leaf kunoichi. May I ask who you are?"

"Kushina Uzumaki," I reply.

Haku nods. "It's a pleasure to meet you. You were described as being one of the more _honorable_ ninja from the Leaf in my old bingo book. I don't mind working with you at all."

He turns towards Kimimaro then. "Doctor Shinnou, what will you have me do? Stay by you or join Ms. Uzumaki on the front line?"

"Join Kushina Uzumaki," Shinnou replies. "Mikoto Uchiha is more than enough to keep us safe."

"Understood." Haku sets himself. "I'll follow your lead, Ms. Uzumaki. What do you wish for me to do?"

"Just keep me covered," I reply. "I'm going to defeat Kimimaro one way or another. Count on it."

Haku nods. "I'm with you. Strike when you're ready.."

I replenish the chakra inside my blade. "I'm ready, and I'm moving in! Don't let any of those bone spikes hit me!"

"Understood," Haku says grimly.

I take off at a run, and the fight restarts anew.


	48. Violent Fluctuation

And now for the regularly scheduled chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Eight: Violent Fluctuation**

Kimimaro's unnatural, feral eyes narrow as I charge towards him. "I will not fail!"

The bone spikes begin blasting from all over the ground and I swing my flaming blade around, slicing and burning the spikes as they rise. I watch my feet as I move among the spikes, attacking everything around me. Kimimaro is still trying to hit me from below, and if I'm not careful, that will effectively kill me. I'd be nothing more than a target waiting to get hit if I'm struck from below, even if I survived the initial attack.

Suddenly, I see an ice path power through many of the spikes on my left. I see Haku on top of it. "Get on, Ms. Uzumaki!"

I see what Haku is doing now. His little ice slide is going to lead us right to where Kimimaro is and then we're going to kill him.

I leap on top of the ice and immediately push chakra to my feet to stabilize myself so I don't go flying off. "Nice move! What's it called?"

"I _never_ call my attacks," Haku replies.

Somehow, Karin heard that, because I can hear her voice in the distance. "That just takes the fun out of it, handsome!"

Haku just sighs at hearing that. His words remain focused on the mission. I'm glad. He's quite mature for his age. "Watch him closely. We're about to be on top of him."

"I'm on it!" Just as I say that, I realize we're no more than two seconds away from Kimimaro.

It's going to end, just like _that_.

But as I take a swing at him, Kimimaro suddenly transforms into a bone spike. All I strike is bone and then there's nothing.

I missed him. He merged back into his Bracken Dance technique, and now he could be _any_ of these bone spikes, above, below, or to my left and right.

"Haku! Stop the ice! We're getting too far in front!"

"Understood."

We stop, and I reinforce my posture so I don't go sliding off. Haku is clearly used to it, he's not showing any sign of exertion. The young man is much more experienced than his years suggest, that much is clear.

I hear Kimimaro's voice again, he sounds like he's surrounded us, like he's in every one of these bone spikes around us. "Our time is running short. Soon, we will all perish here."

"What do you mean by that, Kimimaro?" I ask.

"Your mission will end in failure, Kushina Uzumaki," Kimimaro replies. "I am sure the rest of your Konoha team have already been finished off. Orochimaru had plans to deal with intruders. It is by chance, and luck, we have not encountered these plans."

"_What_ plans?" I ask. Damn it, why is he being so vague and obtuse right now?

"It doesn't matter what the 'plans' are," Haku says. He begins to run back the way he came, and I quickly follow him down the path. I wish I was more used to running on ice. I'm not going to slip and fall, but I'm wasting too much chakra keeping myself steady. Chakra that I'm going to need to finish Kimimaro off.

In all honesty, this should have been over a long time ago. Probably the moment when I had tied Kimimaro up. I should've just knocked him cold on the spot and not given him a chance to speak. Kimimaro's words are why there's still a fight going on right now.

Bone spikes rise in front of us, shattering the ice path and sending the shards spiraling into the air. I leap in front of Haku and sprint at top speed the moment I land. "I'll cut us a way through, just follow me!"

I slash at the bones, but more quickly rise in their places, and a couple get too close for comfort.. How much chakra does Kimimaro have to keep pulling this off? He must have a clan bloodline of some kind! That's the only explanation!

Finally, Haku and I are surrounded by the bones. Haku lets out a soft sigh. "I apologize for my lack of effectiveness. Senbon are my primary weapon and they are not useful for this kind of combat."

"Don't worry about it," I reply. "But do you have any techniques that might be useful?"

"My trump card is my Sacred Ice Mirrors," Haku replies. "But they're useless against Kimimaro."

"How so?"

"I don't see why I have to tell you. I may have to use the attack against you someday, Ms. Uzumaki," Haku replies.

I can't help but chuckle softly at that one. "Fair enough."

"Yo! Future first boyfriend and rescuer lady! Stop chatting and get your way over for us! Your sidekick is having a hard time!" That's Karin.

I can hear flames roaring to life in the distance. Mikoto's giving it her all. This is a trap of some kind, Kimimaro intended to separate Haku and I from the others and his primary assault is on Mikoto. He just wants to keep Haku and I busy.

I extinguish my ninjatou and ready myself. I'm going to need something with a little more range.

I draw a pair of kunai. I don't need hand signs for this attack, I've practiced it for years. It's something I learned from the book of wind ninjutsu I had with me in the cabin, something I don't use often, I think I last used it against Hisame and her goons in Taki, but it's _really_ handy here.

"Wind Style! Wind Slash Technique!"

I slash with both of my kunai and a pair of vicious wind slashes erupt from where my hands go and slice dozens of bones in half. Not the complete, utter obliteration that a fire attack would do, but this will work nicely.

A path's opened up. I can see the others. "Haku, now!"

"I'm on it!" I see another ice path form itself and I jump on, leading the way, watching for any of the bone spikes trying to impale me or Haku. I gather chakra in my lungs, ready to spit out Air Bullets if anything comes my way.

Haku and I leap off the path and I position myself directly in front of Mikoto. I see more spikes shoot out of the ground, ceiling, and walls right in front of us. "Wind Style! Air Bullets Technique!"

I fire several of the bullets at the spikes, and I hear Mikoto call out her Phoenix Flower technique and several fireballs mix with my air bullets to shatter all of the bones being aimed right at us.

I see Kimimaro's figure rise from one of the bone spikes. How much longer can he keep this up? This is becoming ridiculous!

If this fight goes on for much longer, I'll have to ask the Nine-Tails for chakra! That's not something I want to do, I'm too reckless under the influence of the beast's chakra! There's just too many innocents here!

The Nine-Tails just chuckles at me. Like it _knows_ I'll have to take its chakra. I'm going to prove it wrong. I don't need the beast's chakra to beat Kimimaro. I don't!

_You're getting tired, woman. Holding that Chakra Chains Barrier for as long as you did has drained you. You know you'll need my power. And then everyone will get to see who you _really_ are underneath that tender, loving mask you wear._

Damn it, beast! I don't need you interfering with my thoughts right now!

_You're not denying it._

I don't _need_ to deny it! Now shut up and let me concentrate!

"Your resistance means nothing," Kimimaro says. "It is either I kill all of you in an act of mercy, or we all perish in a horrific fashion. It is too late for you . . . and too late for me."

"What are you talking about?" I turn towards Karin then. "You know what he's talking about, Karin?"

Karin gives me a sheepish look. "Kinda sorta? I think it has something to do with the gas chambers."

"The gas chambers?" That's right! I remember hearing about those, that they couldn't be transported! It'd make sense to turn them on when it was time to abandon this place, to kill any intruders or to eliminate anyone deemed "unnecessary"!

"You become distracted so easily," Kimimaro says.

I spin towards him, but it's too late. I feel the ground below me cracking. He's going to attack again!

Wait. The shocks. They're not in front of me.

They're _behind_ me!

I see bone spikes rise behind me, but also behind Mikoto! The spikes are heading right for Amaru!

"Amaru!" I gather what chakra I have left and send it flowing to my lungs. I can't heat it up, though. I can't risk burning Amaru!

"Wind Style! Air Bullets Technique!" I fire several bullets at the spikes approaching Amaru, but I can only eliminate half of them!

I feel spikes coming to attack me from behind but Mikoto steps in. "Fire Style! Phoenix Flower Technique!"

All right, Mikoto's got my back, but Amaru . . .

There's too many, and I'm about to run out of chakra! I take out the Habanero Ninjatou, and send everything I have into the sword, and it ignites into life. I have to try! I have to!

Shinnou steps in front of Amaru then. "Stay behind me!"

He's drawn a sword, and then he tries to deflect the bone spikes coming his way. He swats aside three or four of them before his sword shatters, and then . . .

There's six left. All six pierce through him, in the arms, in the stomach, and one through his left leg.

"_Doctor_!" Amaru shrieks in alarm.

Damn it! I have to get to them!

I spin among the remaining spikes, cutting them all down, and Shinnou falls to the ground, blood seeping from his many injuries. "Doctor! Doctor Shinnou!" Amaru wails as she tries to catch the older man as he collapses to the ground.

Shinnou, blood trickling from his mouth, tries to smile. "Talk about close calls, huh, Amaru?"

"Master!" Haku runs up to us then, alarm in his own brown eyes.

"Oh, Haku." Shinnou's already fading fast. I can see it in his eyes, in his complexion, in his voice.

"Haku . . . you have not failed . . . protect Amaru, Haku. Protect her with your life . . ."

"Master . . ." Haku whispers.

Shinnou gives Amaru one final glance. "Amaru . . . I am proud . . . to consider you . . . my apprentice . . . thank you for . . . for . . ."

His eyes roll back into his head and he falls limp. Tears pour from Amaru's eyes. "D-Doctor? D-Doctor Shinnou! W-Wait! D-Don't go! Please!"

An earthquake erupts under us then. I scramble and withdraw the chakra from my ninjatou so I can grab both Haku and Amaru just as spikes erupt from the ground, obscuring, and likely obliterating, Shinnou's body.

"Doctor! _Doctor_!" Amaru shrieks.

"I'm sorry!" I shout. "But there's nothing we can do for him! Not now!"

We're getting cut off. I can tell even from this distance that Mikoto's running on fumes, and Karin . . . Karin is just hugging the wall, hoping that Kimimaro doesn't notice her. If I don't do something, Mikoto and Karin will join Shinnou in death.

"I've failed another master," Haku says softly. "I've already failed my first master because I didn't interfere in time to save him . . . and now I've failed Shinnou as well."

A pair of tears stream down his eyes. "I am a useless weapon. I was asked to be Doctor Shinnou's weapon so he wouldn't have to draw that sword again . . . so he could just concentrate on healing people . . . and I couldn't even accomplish _that_ . . ."

Amaru can't say anything at all. She's just sobbing, her head in her hands, steadily curling up into a ball.

I stare at Kimimaro. There's no longer any choice. If I don't do this . . . we're _all_ dead.

"Haku, keep Amaru safe," I say. "Don't be frightened by what I'm about to do. It's the only way to end this."

"W-What are you talking about?" Haku asks softly.

I turn from the children and walk towards the battle between Mikoto and Kimimaro. "I am what's called a jinchuuriki. I have a demon sealed inside me. And I'm going to draw on its power."

I withdraw the chakra from the Habanero Ninjatou and put the handle away. It's going to be useless, it doesn't work with the Nine-Tails' chakra anyway.

Beast, I need your chakra. Give me enough so I can enter the One-Tails form. That's all I'll need.

_You really think I'm going to grant you that_?

Beast, I'm tapped out and you know it, you were just taunting me about that. If I don't use your chakra, I'm going to die, and you're going to be dead too. Do you really want that?

Well? Answer me!

_Fine. Take it, woman._

I feel the power beginning to course through me. I feel the strength, the power. The fierce, primal _power_.

"Agh!" It hurts. It hurts a _lot_. Everything's cracking throughout my body, and I feel so _hot_, like I'm going to combust! And the hate . . . there's so much _hate_ that I can't stand it!

There you are, Kimimaro. You get to be the next victim of this power of mine. No, not power. It's more than that.

It's my_ curse_.

* * *

_I scream. I scream as the power finishes its work with me, and I feel like I haven't spent the last hour or so of my life fighting at all. _

_I feel good. So good. And I have all of this chakra at my disposal. This powerful, overflowing chakra! It's all mine!_

_And he's noticed this. My newest prey. I see his sickly yellow eyes stare at me in shock. "You've . . . you've finally unleashed your demonic power. I was warned about this . . ." _

_What he just said suggests total idiocy on his part. I begin walking towards him. He has no idea, whatsoever, at what he's made me unleash. "And you didn't heed the warnings. And you'll pay for that with your life." _

_The glasses-wearing girl gasps at the sound of my voice. "Holy crap! You've got like the sexiest voice _ever_! How can I get a voice like that?" _

_"You don't," I reply._

_"Don't be a dolt like Kimimaro over there! Show me the way to the sexy!"_

_"It comes with more power than you know what to do with, little girl." _

_"With great power comes great dolt-ness, I see." The glasses-girl fiddles with her glasses. "Well, guess what, foxy demon lady-dolt and Kimi-dolt! I'll be a bigger dolt than the both of you! Just you wait!" _

_She blinks. "Wait, that didn't come out right." _

_"Clearly you don't have to work hard at it," I reply, and then I walk away from her. She better take the hint to keep her mouth closed or so help me-_

_"Hey! Hey! You don't just-" _

_I spin towards her, intending to make her shut up once and for all, and the glasses-girl grins nervously. "Listen, little girl. Stay out of my way. Got it?" _

_The glasses-girl gulps. "Right you are, foxy lady. I'm . . . I'm gonna go hang by my first boyfriend and traumatized girl over there, 'kay? See ya!"_

_She runs off, finally giving me some space. That little exchange wasted too much time for my liking._

_The only person worth spending time on is my prey. My weakening, tiring prey, who can't keep fighting for any longer. I can see the strain on him, even from this distance. Even with his seal, he can't maintain this "Bracken Dance" of his. In a few minutes, either I will have transformed him into a stain on the wall or he will collapse in defeat . . . and I'll turn him into a stain on the wall for good measure._

_There's one other person here besides Kimimaro, though. My closest friend. She's staring at me in shock, not that I'm surprised. _

_"Kushina . . ." _

_"Mikoto. Please stand aside. Make sure they stay safe and Karin stays secured. I'm going to kill Kimimaro." _

_"B-But Kushina-"_

_I don't want to waste any more time on this argument! I have prey to kill! "Mikoto, do what I say! _Now_!"_

_My closest friend's eyes shimmer for just a second. Is she actually being _concerned_ about me? Why? What's there to be concerned with? _

_"Just don't lose yourself, Kushina." _

_Then my friend runs off. _

_Why'd she have to do and say that? Is she trying to make me feel guilty for a battle between predator and prey? Is that what she wants? _

_No. Focus. _Focus_. Concentrate solely on your prey and kill him. Still, there is one question I want answered before I tear his guts from his chest._

_I stare at my prey. "Why didn't you attack me? You had plenty of chances." _

_My prey's eyes narrow. "I believe in fighting people with honor, Kushina Uzumaki. Though I wonder if you have any left. You have become a significantly different person since you drew upon the Nine-Tails' chakra." _

_I'm not surprised that my prey knows that I hold the Nine-Tailed Fox inside me. Orochimaru knew it. He'd warn his subordinates just what kind of person I am if they ever came into contact with me. Though it doesn't look like he warned them to run away from me, especially if I drew upon this wonderful chakra flowing inside me. _

_It doesn't matter. Even if my prey runs there's no escape for him. There never was, not from the moment I transformed. _

_My prey's fate is sealed. _

_"Perhaps I have, perhaps I haven't," I reply. "It doesn't matter. You're already dead." _

_"Am I?" my prey dares to ask. _

_"You were dead the moment I drew upon this power," I reply. _

_He glares at me. "Wrong. We're all dead here. We're just seeing who dies first, Kushina Uzumaki!" _

_Finally, some intensity from his voice. And here I thought he was going to whisper at me all day. _

_He unleashes a wave of bone spikes at me, but my clawed hands and my chakra tail are all it takes to scatter them all away. It's like his attacks have become slower, though maybe I've just become _faster_. His bones are like annoying insects to me at this point, and even when they scratch me I barely feel it. And there's no pain at all. _

_He's such a weakling. I can't believe it's taken me so long to get the upper hand. _

_I finish off the spikes, leaving me a clear path towards him. I can hear him breathing heavily, he's just about out of chakra. I look at him, and I can't help but smile. It's over. Just like that. _

_He stares at me in horror. "How . . . how can you . . ." _

_"I told you. You're already dead." _

_I raise my right hand, and I channel my chakra into a perfect sphere of raw power. I don't need my left hand, not in this state, to perform my ultimate attack. _

_"Any last words?" I ask._

_"Killing me accomplishes nothing, Kushina Uzumaki. All you've accomplished is guaranteeing that you and your friends will have horrible deaths!" my prey shouts. He begins coughing then, blood spewing from his mouth, dripping down his face, splattering and trickling down the bones his blood lands on. _

_"That won't happen. Not as long as I live," I reply. "Now . . . I'm going to spare you your _own_ horrific death. You won't feel pain for long." _

_"I am not giving up!" My prey gasps out. "Not for my master! Not for Orochimaru!"_

_Such foolish prey. He should just accept his death._

_Well, whether he's accepting of it or not, he's going to get it. _

_All of a sudden, I'm rushing him. I can see the alarm, the helplessness, in his eyes. He knows he's going to die. _

_But somehow, he summons the gumption to bring one last bone spike to life to my left, and I have to duck and slide under it to avoid being speared. But as I immediately get back on my feet, I have a clear shot towards my exhausted prey. _

_It's over. It's over!_

_He's dead!_

_I leap at him and slam the sphere into his chest. "_Rasengan_!"_

_He screams in pain from the blow, and then he is sent flying, blood trailing from his injury as he flies all the way across the hall and goes through the wall. _

_I run up to the hole in the wall, and look down. Nothing moves. Nothing breathes. All I see is a limp remnant of a body nearly blown in half. My prey has become a corpse. _

_Exactly as planned. _

_Now . . . _

_Now . . . _

_What should I . . . _

"Don't lose yourself, Kushina."_ That's what my friend said. What did she . . . _

_Oh. _

_I know what she wants. _

_Let go of the chakra. Let it go. The power feels so good but you need to let it go, Kushina. It's not needed anymore. None of it. _

_Though I don't want to let it go . . ._

* * *

Did . . . did I really need to kill him?

My thoughts seem like they're rushing through me all of a sudden, like some invisible wall was holding them back before. Feelings I did not have in my One-Tails transformation are back now, and I feel sick. I can smell Kimimaro's burnt corpse, and that just makes me want to throw up.

Did I really have to go that far? Kimimaro was _done_, wasn't he? He was out of chakra, out of energy, out of _everything_. And yet I still went for the kill. Why?

_It's because you were liberated from your human ways, woman. You can be as hateful and predatory as you want. My chakra shows what you _really_ are. I told you as much._

That's not true!

_You keep denying it, but every action you take under my chakra is cruel and designed to make your opponents feel the most pain possible. Isn't that what you did twelve years ago?_

You're lying! You took me over, beast!

_Then why do you have some memories of twelve years ago? If you did not have control, why do you remember what happened?_

I don't remember what happened! Not completely! It's all in a haze!

_You just don't _want_ to remember, woman._

"Kushina!"

Mikoto. Thank the heavens for speaking up.

I turn towards her. "Mikoto."

Mikoto's dark eyes look concerned. Seeing that in her eyes both takes a weight off my heart but replaces it with something that feels like a needle. It's wonderful to see Mikoto actually have concern in her eyes, but . . . it's for _me_. It's something I don't get often from people these days, not many people sincerely care about what happens to me. Not that I feel worthy of it anyway.

"Kimimaro is dead," I say softly. "Let's go collect the children and bring them to safety. I'm out of chakra, though. You have any left?"

"A little, but not much," Mikoto says as I walk up to her.

As I'm about to walk past her, Mikoto places her left hand on my shoulder. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," I lie. "Just really tired."

Mikoto's hand leaves my shoulder. Part of me wishes she would keep her hand on it, it felt warm and strong. "All right. I'm right behind you."

I have to re-focus. Focus on the mission. Not on the beast's words. I'm not going to listen to the Nine-Tails and the cruel words it says about me. I spent eight years in exile, six of them completely alone with the Nine-Tails constantly talking to me the way it was just minutes ago.

Nothing of what the Nine-Tails says is true. I know it isn't true. If it was true, Naruto would want nothing to do with me, nor any of the friends I have left. I have to believe that. The Nine-Tails just wants to make me cry like I did in that cabin for so many years. It wants me to suffer.

I'm not giving in. I refuse. I have too many people counting on me.

I approach Haku and Amaru then, Haku's arm is around Amaru's shoulder. Amaru looks completely distraught, and Haku just looks like he's staring off into space. "Kimimaro won't be a problem anymore. Are you two all right?"

"I'm fine," Haku says in almost a whisper.

"Doctor Shinnou . . . I can't find his body . . . I can't find his body . . ." Amaru whimpers.

Poor girl. I can't imagine how close she had been to the borderline-elderly doctor. He had seemed to be a nice enough man. It didn't look like they were related. "Master" and "apprentice" were the words being used there.

I want to comfort her, but there's a missing piece to this puzzle here, I realize. I look up at Haku. "Where's Karin?"

"Oh . . . she was just here . . ."

I look down the hall, and I see Karin trying to slink off, walking very slowly, clearly trying to not make noise.

Amateur. "Karin!"

Karin freezes, then slowly turns around, a sheepish look on her face. "Uh . . . this isn't what it looks like, I mean, yeah, I guess it kinda is, but . . ."

Karin suddenly makes a mad dash away and I run right after her. Karin seems genin-level, she has ability but she has no chance of outrunning me. I tackle her after just a few seconds of pursuit and we crash to the ground.

Karin's hands, thankfully, are still tied, so all Karin can do is try to squirm, but I place one hand on her head and she ceases resistance. "Hey, you can't blame a girl for trying, right?"

I sigh, both to catch my breath and in relief. "No, I guess I can't."

I stand her upright. "Now, you need to be cooperative. I can't have you . . ."

I look up, and suddenly I see a sickly green gas slowly wafting through the hall in front of us. .

"Oh, that's not good," Karin says.

"What is it?"

"Uh . . . I-I can't remember!"

I run back towards Mikoto and the others. "We can't get exposed to the gas! We gotta get out of here!"

I look towards Karin. "Any airtight doors around here?"

"Uh . . . run back the way we came, and make a left, and the first door on the left is an airtight door!" Karin says.

"Follow me!" I shout and I grab Karin and pick her up in my hands.

"Ooh, carrying me bridal-style," Karin says as I begin running. "Got something to tell me, foxy lady?"

I am not even going to dignify that with a response right now.

I sprint down the hall, and when we make to Kimimaro's hospital room, I turn to my right to see more of the sickly green gas. "You said to the left?"

"Yes, hurry!" Karin shouts.

I turn. "All I see is a wall!"

"It's a secret door! Push the bottom brick second from the left!"

I look down and it takes me a moment to see it. I push with my left foot and the brick moves into the wall and I hear a _click_.

The wall spins until it's half-open. "All right, everyone inside! Hurry!"

I run inside, and I see Mikoto, Haku, and Amaru all make it inside. I drop Karin and run to the opened wall to see that the gas is almost upon us. I slam it shut and I hear another _click_. I step back, almost expecting the gas to begin wafting in, but nothing happens.

I feel like my heart's skipped several beats. That was close. Really close.

"You _hafta_ drop me on my ass?" Karin groans.

Thanks for reminding me of your existence, Karin. I think it's time we find out what the hell is going on! "You have any idea what just happened?"

"I'm trying to remember! Just gimme a minute. It's been quite a gas, though, everything we've been through together, ya know?" Karin replies with a knowing smile.

We all just _stare_ at her. "Allow me," Mikoto grumbles.

She slaps Karin on the head with the palm of her hand. "Ow!"

"Okay, I deserved that," Karin groans after a moment. "Um . . . well . . . I think what happened is that one of the gas chambers turned on. It's not the mustard gas, mustard gas isn't booger-colored green like that gas was . . . it's not nerve gas either."

I know what nerve gas is. Kumo was experimenting with it during the Third Shinobi World War. After some disastrous experiences with it, Kumo stopped using the gas as it had a tendency to misfire and hit their own forces. I guess Orochimaru figured out how to use it, then. I don't know what "mustard gas" is, though, that one's new, and I have a feeling it doesn't have much to do with actual mustard.

"Um . . . it could be the inside-out gas," Karin says.

"Inside-out gas?" Mikoto asks.

"Yeah. It's supposed to like melt away your skin and reveal your insides," Karin says.

Well . . . one thing's for sure. Orochimaru has become even more depraved than he was when I met him and trying to use Minato for one of his experiments. To create a gas designed to melt away _skin_ . . .

That's when I hear scratching on the wall.

"Uh . . ." I walk up to the wall and lean my head against it. I hear sniffing, and groaning, and something vaguely disgusting like something _plopping_ onto the ground.

No, there's more than one person moaning. But it doesn't sound like it's in pain. Almost like . . .

"Lemme hear it," Karin says as she runs up right next to me.

Her eyes squint, and then widen. "Oh! That's what got turned on! The zombie gas!"

"'Zombie gas'?" I ask. No way. This has to be a dream. A really bad dream brought on by reading those cheap pulp horror novels Naruto tries to hide from me.

"Yeah, if we breathed that in, we were going to die and then get re-animated and be like mindless creatures. And I'm pretty sure Orochimaru was working on a way to make the zombie transformation-thing transferable by bite wounds. You know, all that fun stuff," Karin says.

"'Fun stuff'?" Mikoto asks.

"Yeah," Karin says. "We're witnessing the the beginning of the Zombie Apocalypse, bitches."

I think Karin is forgetting about something _very_ important. "Um . . . you're aware that if what you're saying is true, the zombies are after _you_ too, right?"

Karin's face falls. "Oh crap, you're right."

Her eyes widen. "Oh God I'm gonna die!"

She runs around the room in a panic. "I don't wanna become a zombie I wanna stay me why oh why did _that_ gas of all gas have to be turned on somebody help me I don't wanna die-"

Mikoto walks up to me. "Is Karin messing with us? The living dead . . . it's just not possible."

"Her panic seems real," I say as Karin continues to run around the room.

"We're all gonna die why me somebody save me I'm never gonna have a boyfriend my short sweet life is already over-"

Haku finally whacks Karin on the head and she falls to the ground, moaning.

"Thank you," I say to Haku.

Haku just nods at me.

I listen through the door. "You think those are people moaning from being gassed, or that Karin is telling the truth?"

"Open the door and we'll find out," Mikoto says.

Oh no. You're not placing this responsibility on _me_. "You open it first."

I hear a sickly roar in the background, and a short, deep _thump_ on the wall. Several _thumps_, actually.

"I think this confirms 'zombies'," Mikoto says softly.

"Yeah." Now that what Karin was saying seems to be true, it doesn't seem quite so funny. Now . . . it just seems _sickening_. And suddenly, more than a bit terrifying.

Out of all the unnatural things in this world, why . . .

Why would Orochimaru be experimenting with creating living dead? Why? How would this serve his purpose?

Sniffing sounds from behind the wall. "They're smelling us," Mikoto says.

"Back away from the wall," I say. "Back away and pray they don't accidentally trigger the switch to open the wall."

"We're all gonna die," Karin whispers in horror. "We're all gonna die and become zombie food and be zombies ourselves and-"

"_Karin_," I say. "Don't you start-"

Karin suddenly bursts into wildly off-key singsong. "We're all gonna die, we're all gonna die-"

"Somebody shut her up, _please_!" I beg.

"Hi-ho the dairy-oh, we're all gonna-"

_Whack_.

"Ugh!"

_Thump_.

"Thank you," I say to Haku again.

"Why?" Amaru cries softly. "Why? Why did this have to h-happen to us?"

"Just stay calm," I say. "I'm going to try to restore as much of my chakra as possible. Haku, search the room for any kind of food or water. Mikoto, try to restore your chakra too, but also look for any kind of medical supplies."

"And what will you be doing?" Mikoto asks me.

I look right at the wall leading to the outside. An outside that suddenly seemed a lot more dangerous and surreal than ever before.

"I'm going to watch the door."

* * *

Two things happened in this chapter that I didn't expect to happen.

1. I killed Kimimaro off much earlier than I expected. I had expected Kimimaro to stick around but I realized sometime during chapter 47 that it wasn't gonna happen. So I did my best to give Kimimaro one hell of a battle before he died.

2. I also wound up starting the Shinnou/Zero-Tails storyline much earlier than anticipated. It was not supposed to happen yet, and Shinnou and Amaru were supposed to just have Early Bird Cameos here. That didn't happen either. The reworking of the 2nd Shippuden movie is a near-total reworking, though, don't expect the rules to remain the same as they were in Bonds.

Also, as a P.S.: Don't worry about the zombie thing. This isn't that kind of fic. It'll be done with by the end of the next chapter.


	49. Rotten Fruit

**Chapter Forty-Nine: Rotten Fruit**

They still haven't found a way in. It's been almost an hour now, and while they're still scratching at the movable wall, while they're still moaning out there, they haven't gotten inside. I would have thought they would've hit the trigger switch outside and tried to start coming in, but they haven't. Nevertheless, I've been recharging my chakra, ready to hit them with the Fireball Technique and burn them all.

The living dead. Straight out of those pulp novels Naruto hides under his bed. Right here, right now, right behind that wall. I don't want to believe it, but they're out there.

But how? And why? Even with all of the ninjutsu that exists, reviving the dead is supposed to be _impossible_. Completely, utterly _impossible_. One of the few things that were absolute in this world.

And Orochimaru has found some way to circumvent it. Even though it is in this crude, disgusting, surreal way, he has subverted the boundaries between life and death, re-animating corpses. He has even created a gas designed to kill and re-animate, if Karin is to be believed.

This has to make it back to the Hokage. All of it, as unbelievable as it seems. Orochimaru has become an even greater threat than we all thought. This could be a stepping stone to truly bring the dead back to life . . . or for Orochimaru to grant himself immortality.

I look back at Mikoto. "How are the children shaping up?"

"I think Karin is finally stirring," Mikoto replies.

"She is, huh?" I look at the red-haired girl, who's beginning to audibly groan. Finally, the one person who has something resembling a clue as to what's going on here is waking up. Though if she starts panicking again like she did earlier . . .

"Mikoto, take over watching the door," I say. "I'll handle the interrogation. If things need to get rough, though . . . I'll let you know."

Mikoto nods. "Sounds like a plan to me."

Mikoto is brutally, coldly efficient at playing the "bad cop", which makes sense for me to be the "good cop" when we're working together. I don't have the stomach to abuse prisoners anyway, so it works out. For all of our sakes, though, I hope Karin just cooperates with me so I don't have to ask Mikoto to do her own thing.

I walk over to Karin, who's beginning to rub her head. "Welcome back."

"Ugh, I had the worst nightmare," Karin moans. "I dreamed that I was taken prisoner by Konoha kunoichi and that the zombie gas got turned on and now the whole world is going to die to zombie apocalypse and . . ."

She blinks. "Oh wait. It's not a dream."

"It's not," I say.

"Aw, crap," Karin moans, rubbing her forehead.

"Karin, I have questions for you. And so help me if you start running around like a chicken with its head cut off again. I need you to focus and tell me what's going on here," I say.

"What's going on here? We're all gonna die, 'that's what's going on here'," Karin replies, her eyes widening all over again.

"_Karin_-"

"All right, all right! Just gimme a sec!" Karin pleads.

I hear more moaning behind the door. Mikoto readies herself, and there's more loud scratching, but nothing budges.

"Oh . . . oh yeah, the lock. It's actually automatically activated," Karin says. "There's no way they're getting in unless we _let_ them in."

Mikoto relaxes. "I see. Then what was up with your panic an hour or so ago?"

"Well, we're still gonna die. One way we could go is from a lack of air instead of becoming zombie food," Karin says.

Mikoto walks over to us and kneels down by me and Karin. "How much air do we have?"

"Well . . . this room should have six hours of air that's being pumped into this room as we speak," Karin says. "After that runs out . . . we'll likely have two hours or so before we're toast. So . . . we've got seven hours before we all start collapsing. That's if the _other_ traps haven't activated."

Oh boy, _other_ traps. I'm not looking forward to hearing about them.

"We don't even need that long to restore enough chakra to fight our way out," Mikoto says. "All Kushina and I need to do is set them on fire and we're good. Am I right, Kushina?"

I am really, _really_ happy Mikoto is showing so much confidence right now. "That's right."

Karin sighs. "You're both so confident."

"Yes, we are," I reply. "The only concern is the so-called 'zombie gas'. What's it made out of, and is it still active out there?"

Karin shrugs. "Probably isn't active anymore, I think. As for what the gas does . . . the gas is laced with chakra, a special kind of chakra Orochimaru's been researching called 'dark chakra'."

'Dark chakra'? I've never heard of _that_. "What's 'dark chakra'?"

"Doctor . . . Doctor Shinnou mentioned 'dark chakra' to me once," Amaru says softly from the corner where she's been sitting. "Sky Country apparently used it a lot. It's supposed to be some sort of chakra nature."

Mikoto scoffs. "Impossible. There's only five chakra elements. Fire, water, earth, air, and lightning."

"Well, Orochimaru sure thinks there's a sixth chakra nature," Karin says. "And I've seen it. It's real, but it's really hard to obtain or something. Orochimaru could only ever get trace elements of it, and it seemed to be from the nearby Sky Country ruin."

Mikoto chuckles morbidly. "We just passed by that Sky Country ruin. Didn't you say that the seals on those doors were designed to keep something _in_, Kushina?"

"Oh, you saw it!" Karin suddenly gets up in my face, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Yes, that is _precisely_ what Orochimaru thought! Every time that door opened and somebody went inside, they never came back out! We'd just feel this weird pulse in the air and then there'd be no sign of any life at all inside the ruin!"

I want Karin back to the previous conversation. While it's interesting to see that my fib to Kakashi and the others on the team is actually true, I don't want to discuss that ruin. Not after what I experienced in the Land of Snow's own ruin, where _something_ nearly grabbed me. I'm sure as hell not letting anyone get inside the ruin _now_.

"But the weird pulses that we felt _did_ have trace elements of dark chakra," Karin says. "It made us feel like the world was gonna end. Only Orochimaru didn't seem scared of it. He had us collect what dark chakra we could and the science people here have been practicing with it ever since. It does interesting things, lemme tell you. Mixed with the concoctions inside the zombie gas, it can re-animate the dead. Raw and distilled . . . it could be a recipe for immortality and eternal strength . . . or turning people into hideous monsters if they did it wrong."

She adjusts her glasses. She's clearly enjoying dumping this information to us. Mikoto and I barely have to say a word. I wonder if Karin's been desperate to tell people what she knows all this time. "Sky Country was notorious for having giant hulks for rulers and elite warriors back in the day who also lived for a damn long time. Even the women could be like that. Dark chakra seemed to be the fuel."

"That's what Doctor Shinnou said to me," Amaru says. "That Sky Country had people like that at one time. Doctor Shinnou s-saw them during the Second Shinobi World War."

Youko Ochiai's transformation just over a week ago flashes through my mind. Was _that_ in her syringe? Raw dark chakra? But why'd she turn into a monster, then? What variable was in there that would cause that? Youko seemed to accept she was going to turn into a monster, though, not just become super-human, though, so maybe she did something to her formula intentionally?

I wish I knew. Mikoto was the one who gathered all of Youko's notes, not me. I need to ask her what she read, if anything at all. This is a lot to take in all at once.

Mikoto's eyes are focused. She's definitely trying to memorize it all. Perhaps she even understands it. "So all of this . . . it's a dark chakra research facility, then?"

"In a way, yes. It also doubles as a medical facility. Well, _doubled_, I should say. This place is basically going down _hard_ if the other traps have gone off," Karin says.

Uh oh. I don't like the sound of that. "What do you mean, Karin?"

Karin grins sheepishly. "Um . . . if the other traps have gone off, let's put it this way: We don't try to get out of here in the next two hours, we're gonna go _boom_."

_Now_ she tells us this? "Why didn't you say something earlier?" I shout.

"My _ex_-potential first boyfriend over there knocked me out cold! How could I tell you people?" Karin asks, her head motioning to Haku as she speaks.

Haku just looks dismayed. "Don't drag me into this, please."

"So yeah, basically, the two of you are gonna have to fight off a wave of zombies clawing at the door pretty damn soon or we're dead one way or another," Karin says. "When the zombie gas gets deployed all over the facility, which I assume it has, that triggers a countdown before the facility explodes in a giant fireball. That way there's no zombie apocalypse in the outside world."

She grins proudly. "My suggestion, of course."

Lovely. "Well then, looks like you get to be our navigator out of here," I say.

"What's in it for me?" Karin asks.

You're not in the position of power here, Karin. "You don't blow up with the facility."

"Oh." Karin gives me a sheepish look. "I accept those terms."

"Good." I take Karin and pass her on to Mikoto. "Get your chakra ready as much as you can, Mikoto, and keep an eye on her. Don't let her pull something."

"I won't," Mikoto says.

I head over to where Amaru and Haku are both sitting, Amaru's resting her head on Haku's shoulder. "Are you both up for this? I know you were close with Doctor Shinnou in particular, Amaru."

"He was like a grandfather to me," Amaru says. "I loved him. I wanted to be like him."

She takes out a scalpel from her pocket. "I was an orphan in my village due to my family suffering from leprosy. And I was a leper too, believe it or not. Everyone . . . everyone hated me . . ."

"You don't look like a leper," I say.

"Because Doctor Shinnou cured me," Amaru replies. "My leprosy was _gone_ after a week of his treatment. I don't know what he did, but it involved a lot of chakra, and a lot of work with his tools, particularly his scalpel. It was painful, I bled a lot and he had to remove a lot of skin and quickly have it regrow . . . but it was worth it."

Leprosy. This Doctor Shinnou cured _leprosy_. Damn it. He was truly an incredible man to come up with a cure for _that_. And now we lost him thanks to Kimimaro and . . .

And me, because I just didn't have enough chakra to protect Amaru.

No. Don't think about it. Don't think about it at all. I can't afford to. "I see. I'm so sorry, Amaru."

Amaru buries her head into her knees. "I . . . I don't know what to do now. All I wanted was to become as good of a doctor as he was. And now he's gone, I . . . I just don't know. He's . . . he's been my family since I was five years old . . ."

"Sounds like me with my old master," Haku says softly. "My master had been with me since I was a child myself, when I had become orphaned."

"Really? What was his name?" Amaru asks.

Haku looks down. "It doesn't matter."

"Haku-"

Haku's eyes seem to grow colder and firmer. "It doesn't matter, Ms. Uzumaki. The only thing that matters is escape."

"Nothing matters anymore . . ." Amaru moans. "Nothing matters. None of it. None of _us_."

"Amaru, don't talk like that." I place my hand on her shoulder. "You're going to be okay, I-"

That's when I feel a brief pulse of raw _power_ from the girl. Immediately, I feel like vomiting. Like I've touched something disgusting, and it's splattered all over me, _inside_ me. I force it down and back away. I look at Haku, and he's clearly blanching, and he has to back away from Amaru so he won't throw up too

What was that? It's not like anything I've ever felt. The closest thing to this was Fuu when she unleashed the Seven-Tails' power, but that was just the Nine-Tails reacting violently to it. This . . . it's like every fiber of my being is rejecting it, rejecting it _desperately_, like it could corrupt me.

"Just gonna leave me alone . . . aren't you?" Amaru whispers through a sob. "That's what everyone does to me . . . just leaves me _alone_."

_So much despair, so much hatred. All inside one little girl. Interesting._

Regardless of what the beast inside me says, I'm not going to stand for it. "Amaru, we're not going to leave you alone, okay? Just calm down."

Amaru looks up at me, fury in her tear-filled eyes. "Then what did you just do _now_, huh?"

"Amaru-"

"Everyone leaves me _alone_! No one has ever tried to help me or comfort me! No one other than Doctor Shinnou! I-"

"Yo, if I were freaking out like you right now, somebody would've bopped me on the head before I got half as far as you," Karin snaps. "Shaddup and get over yourself."

Amaru glowers at Karin. "How dare you."

Karin returns the angry stare. "I think that with all of us about to go boom, and with a horde of hungry zombies outside, you can save your little freakout for _later_."

Mikoto gets in-between Karin and Amaru before things get worse. "Although Karin put it rather crudely, I agree. Amaru, you have to stop crying. There'll be time for tears later."

"None of you understand." Amaru buries her face in her hands. "None of you understand. I'm all alone."

I feel the dark pulse in the air again. It's reminding me of the Land of Snow, what Koyuki called the "World's End Stonehedge", right after I had blasted Doto Kazahana. I don't like the similarities. And I don't like that the source seems to be Amaru.

Something is _wrong_ with this girl. Very, very wrong.

I don't want to bring up my own experiences with loneliness. But I have to, if it'll get Amaru to calm down. "Amaru, you're not alone. You're only alone if you _choose_ to be. I chose to be alone for a long time myself, and it _hurt_ me every day until I got a wake-up call four years ago. If you're willing to open up to other people, Amaru, you'll find that other people are like you. And will want to be your friend."

Amaru pounds her fist into the ground. "You don't get it! I _don't_ want to be alone! But that's what people do to me! They hurt me and make fun of me and call me a freak! Why should I try to open up to people when all they do is _hurt_ me? Like you and everyone else is doing right now?"

"People have called me a 'freak' too," I reply. "Because of who I am."

"Yeah, I saw what you are! An evil person full of hate!" Amaru shouts at me. "_You_ are the freak here!"

Mikoto gets right up in Amaru's face then. "Amaru. _Shut. Up_. You're the one who doesn't get it."

Amaru stares.

"This is a matter of life and death, what's going on right here, right now, Amaru," Mikoto says. "Now get off the ground and get ready to run if you want to live. Somehow, I think you do."

The periodic dark pulse in the air seems to vanish for good. But Amaru still glowers at me when she wakes up, and when she passes by Karin, Amaru delivers a quick kick to Karin's side, and Karin yelps.

"Bitch," Karin spits at Amaru.

"You felt that, Kushina?" Mikoto hisses at me.

"Yeah, I did," I reply quietly. "Something's up with that girl. I don't like it."

Haku interjects. "It was almost like she was drawing from us . . . particularly from _me_. Like she was stealing my chakra. I had to get away."

I didn't feel that way, I just felt like something was searching inside me, trying to hollow me out. But maybe that's what was going on, that Amaru was siphoning my chakra into her somehow. But how can she do that? And who taught her how? Or is it just some sort of unconscious ability she's not even aware she has?

Either way, I'm getting nervous.

"We need to drop the conversation. Whispering like this is just going to confirm Amaru's worst thoughts," I reply.

"Understood." Mikoto folds her arms in front of her, and she speaks loud enough to be clearly heard in the room. "Kushina, do you think the two of us have enough chakra for this?"

Thankful for the change of conversation, I stand up. "Hopefully. I wish we had another hour or so, that would make a world of difference."

"I know what would make 'a world of difference'," Karin says. "_No zombies outside the frickin' door_!"

"If you would stop talking," Haku says calmly, "They would stop trying to get inside. Their groaning is louder when we talk."

Karin blinks. "Crap."

"Can't be helped," I say in order to diffuse any arguing that might arise. "Mikoto, let's get ready. We're going to take the lead on this. Haku, your job is to be the last line of defense for Amaru and Karin. Also, if Mikoto or I get bit, watch us _closely_. You're gonna have to kill us if Karin's right and zombie bites can turn us."

Haku nods. He almost looks like he's drifting off into another world, but he grabs a few senbon. "I understand."

"I'm ready, Kushina," Mikoto says. "Get over to the switch."

I position myself by the door. "Just say when."

But that's when I hear screeching outside the door.

"Something's happening," Mikoto says.

Then I hear a familiar voice. "Feel the power of youth, undead zombies!"

Mikoto's face falls. "Oh no. Of all the people to be rescued by . . ."

"Just remember, aim for the head!" a young teenager shouts. "Don't let them touch you!"

All I can hear is chaos, but this is pretty telling. Somehow, Might Guy found us . . . and he brought his genin team here with them.

Finally, there's silence. Then I hear Might Guy behind the wall. "All right. The only reason why a horde of undead abominations would be clustered by this wall is if there are people inside, am I right?"

An over-exuberant teenage voice. "Right you are, Guy-sensei!"

"Then it's time for the ultimate in barrier-busting abilities, fueled by the power of our shared youth!"

Mikoto's eyes widen. "Kushina, open the wall. Now. Before Guy in all of his _brilliance_ breaks his foot."

"Right!" I pull the switch and Mikoto steps out of the way.

"_Dynamic Entry_!" Guy shouts just as I open the wall, and he comes flying into the room with so much momentum he goes all the way across and crashes into the edge of the room.

"Oh wow, Guy-sensei!" shouts the over-exuberant teenage voice. "You're so powerful you made the wall move for you!"

"Actually," Might Guy moans from where he crashed, "I think the wall opened by itself."

Might Guy's three genin come inside. I recognize all three of them, I've bumped into them on and off.

Neji Hyuga, a prodigy from a branch of the Hyuga clan whose duty is to protect the main branch. He has pale skin and gray eyes just like Hinata, and he grows his dark hair exceptionally long.

Then there is Rock Lee, who looks so similiar to Might Guy in appearance, right down to the green uniform he wears, he could be Guy's son. I remember Hiruzen describing him as the strongest genin in Konoha when it comes to taijutsu.

Then there is Tenten, born in a foreign land but has lived in Konoha for several years. I don't know very much about her, but apparently she is skilled with many weapons, which she summons from various scrolls.

Neji's the one who takes the lead with Might Guy still moaning where he crashed into the room. "Kushina Uzumaki, I see."

"Yes," I reply. "What brings you here to-"

I hear another, oddly familiar voice shout "Ms. Uzumaki!"

I turn towards the door and I see Fuu come charging in. "You're here! You're really here!"

She runs up to me and hugs me. "You're okay! No one told me where you were!"

I would hug her back, except . . .

"Fuu . . . mind telling me what you're doing here?"

"Huh?" Fuu asks.

I can't believe this. Fuu's pulled the same stunt she did in the Land of Snow, tagging along. Didn't she learn her lesson from the _first_ time she did this? I can't help but grab her by the shoulders and start shaking her.

"Didn't you learn _anything_ from the first time you did this, Fuu? What are you doing here? You have to have Konoha in a panic all over again and now you're in the middle of something way over your head! _Again_!" I shout.

"I asked for _permission_ Ms. Uzumaki now stop shaking _meeeeeee_!" Fuu wails.

"She's right," Neji Hyuga replies. "She asked to be attached to our mission in order to get some practice in and Might Guy accepted her request. This went through official channels."

"Oh." I let go of Fuu and let her recover from that. "But then . . . why are you people here?"

"Yeah!" Karin chimes in. "Can someone tell me what the hell's going on here?"

"Ignore her," I instruct. "She's a prisoner."

"Hey!" Karin growls.

Fuu just chuckles. "Well . . . we completed our original mission and just happened to pass by and it looked like there was a battle, and Neji said somethin' weird was going on, so we went inside to investigate . . . and . . ."

"Zombies," Tenten says softly. "It looks like the gas got nearly everyone in the facility. We did find Kakashi Hatake and this ninja named 'Yamato', they're not infected, and they were able to fill us in and what was going on."

Kakashi and Tenzo are still alive? Thank the heavens! I was trying to _not_ think about it, but chances were pretty good no one else was still alive besides my group. It's a relief to know someone else made it besides us.

But . . . "Did anyone else make it, Tenten?"

Tenten looks down. That's not a good sign. "It . . . it looks like the gas got everyone else, or _almost_ everyone else. I heard that Yugao Uzuki's team managed to avoid getting gassed as well but we didn't see them."

"Well, it's a good thing that Kushina Uzumaki didn't get infected too!" Might Guy grunts as he gets up. "She is the only lady to have _ever_ kicked my ass, and I've been looking to even the score! I believe being rescued from certain death is as good of a repayment as any!"

Might Guy gives me a thumbs-up. He's _really_ still thinking about the time I beat him up when he kicked down my cabin door four years ago? I had almost forgotten about that personally. He's got a longer memory than he lets on.

Rock Lee's mouth falls open. "I can't believe it! You actually got your ass kicked by this lady, Guy-sensei?"

"Please don't shout like that in public," Guy says, his face fallen. "It . . . it's a long story, and . . . and I was taken off guard!"

Tenten just chuckles lightly, but Neji remains stoic. "Can we leave? How many of you are here?"

"I'm here," Mikoto says. "We have with us a boy named Haku, he's apparently from the Hidden Mist Village. Then a girl named Amaru, she had been used as a hostage. Then a girl named Karin, she's one of Orochimaru's followers."

"Hey, I have a last name!" Karin says. "Kozuki! Karin Kozuki! And I'm gonna be Orochimaru's top scientist someday!"

Everyone just _looks_ at her.

"Well . . . if I can get away from you people! That's what I mean!" Karin adds, her face turning red.

At least the girl isn't _completely_ delusional. There's hope for her still. Still, this just reminds me to watch her closely. Karin clearly intends to pull something.

"Huh." Fuu walks up to Karin and looks at Karin closely.

"What are you doing?" Karin asks.

Fuu walks around Karin, and makes a sniffing noise, and then seems to examine Karin's red hair, all through her eyes. "She looks a little like _you_, Ms. Uzumaki. Especially with her hair. It's the same shade as yours."

What is Fuu implying here? That Karin is somehow a long-lost daughter of mine? I mean, I can see the superficial similarities, but _seriously_, I remember who was in my own womb! "Fuu, I _highly_ doubt-"

Fuu sighs. "Yeah, you're right. I'm just being silly."

She pats Karin on the head. "Sorry."

"You all suck," Karin pouts.

"We really should be going," Neji says. "I'm not sure who here is left to save. The only reason why we came in this far is to find some way to engage the destruction of the facility."

"If there's one thing I know Orochimaru for, he _always_ has a way to cover up what he's done," Might Guy says. "And I'm sure he has a way to engage such a thing."

"Uh, it's already turned on," Karin says.

_Everyone_ looks at her.

Karin smiles sheepishly. "We're down to an hour and forty-five minutes now before this place goes boom. My idea to create a countdown timer, of course, you can thank me later."

"All right, not a problem at all!" Might Guy proclaims. He makes a fighting stance right at the door. "That is plenty of time to escape this wretched hive of undead cretins! Follow me, women and children! My youthful fists shall plow the way!"

"Wait for me, Guy-sensei!" Rock Lee shouts as he chases Might Guy out the door.

"Uh . . . Guy-sensei forgot to tell these people something important," Tenten says.

"I know." Neji looks at us then. "My Byakugan showed me how these living dead move, even though their hearts do not beat. Some crude form of chakra is forced into their brains, reactivating them and most other functions of their bodies. Effectively, a heart is formed inside the head, making everything else function, albeit in a limited capacity."

"So, basically, if you wanna kill 'em fast, aim for the head," Tenten chimes in.

Mikoto looks stunned. "How can you two be so cavalier about this?"

"Comes with having Might Guy as a sensei," Tenten says.

"Also, they are not difficult foes. They move slowly and shuffle more than walk," Neji says. "The only thing to be careful of is not to get surrounded or cut off. Their numbers are their only chance."

"Ohh," Karin says. "So _that's_ why Orochimaru diverted resources away from this project. The zombies, in practice, are almost useless!"

Something tells me Torture and Interrogation is going to have a _lot_ of fun with this girl. Just a hunch.

"I'll lead the way to where your sensei went," I say. "Mikoto, watch the rear and make sure nothing attacks us from behind. Let's move it!"

I run out the door, and charge towards where Might Guy and his lookalike disciple have already run into a small host of Orochimaru's apparently failed experiments . . . the rotten, failed fruit of his labor.

* * *

There's enough us fighting that the living dead do prove to be as useless as predicted. As long as we have chakra, as long as we can keep them from getting too close, they're easy to defeat. But there's so many variables, and it's all reliant on our chakra abilities, that the zombies could have a chance against ordinary civilians.

When we make it to the entrance that Kakashi had busted down, we do find Kakashi, Tenzo, Yugao Uzuki, and Genma Shiranui all waiting at the entrance . . . but no one else.

Yugao's dark eyes widen slightly. "You survived as well, Kushina, Mikoto."

"Don't doubt Kushina Uzumaki," Kakashi says knowingly. "She survived what happened twelve years ago, remember?"

"I remember all too well," Yugao says. I take it that Yugao doesn't like me, though that doesn't make her much different than a lot of people in Konoha.

"Yeah, we made it out of there," I say. "We brought some others, including a prisoner named Karin Kozuki. She seems to know a ton of what's going on here," I say.

"Oh yeah?" Kakashi asks.

"Mikoto, please show Kakashi," I say.

"Hey, why do I have to be showed off like a trophy or somethin'?" Karin whines as she is dragged up to the front. "Come on . . . haven't I been humiliated enough for one day?"

"A girl," Kakashi says, clearly not impressed.

"She said a lot about the inner workings on this place," Mikoto replies.

"Yes, including that this facility is going to explode," Might Guy adds. "I don't think she's lying about that."

"That's 'cause I'm _not_!" Karin shouts. "I've heard of ninja paranoia but this is _ridiculous_!"

Kakashi sighs. "Go figure. All right, I'm going to seal the exit with my Lighting Blade. Everyone, get outside."

The sense of finalty in Kakashi's tone says everything right then and there. I can't believe it. These four, plus us . . . that's _it_? Really?

"No one else made it?" I ask aloud.

Yugao speaks up, her voice detached and distant. "I've confirmed that everyone else got gassed, and they became like the rest of the people here who did not find shelter . . ."

She turns away from us and looks outside. "Please. The sooner Kakashi seals this exit, the sooner we are safe, and the sooner nothing else is transformed."

"Right." I motion for everyone else to head outside. It's really become that cut and dry in the end, hasn't it? This is where the living dwell, and we're going to leave the dead behind.

Amaru passes by me. "All alone . . ." she whispers.

I feel the pulse in the air again, and it makes me feel like my intestines are wrapping themselves around my stomach in this tight, burning coil. I resist the urge to throw up. What is this girl, and how is she doing this? And _why_?

I look at Kakashi. Judging by the hardened look in his eyes, he felt that too, all right.

"Just finish off the entrance," I say. "Let's worry about the rest later."

Kakashi sighs. "Right."

He sets himself. "Lightning Blade!"

A bolt of electricity appears in his hand, and Kakashi leaps into the air and smashes the mountain right above the entrance. Rock immediately tumbles down, crushing the door and sealing off the exit in a small, controlled avalanche of rock and dust.

Kakashi brushes off his hands. "Well, that takes care of-"

_Boom_.

It feels like an earthquake is erupting inside the hideout. It sounds like the end of the world inside, with everything crumbling and getting crushed little by little.

"Oops," Karin squeaks. "I think I was off by an hour on the timer."

Everyone just _looks_ at her.

"Um . . ." Karin's face turns red. "Look, no harm done, 'kay? At least this way we know that I like wasn't trying to trick you people."

"Well," Kakashi says. "At least we don't have to wait an hour to see whether Karin's telling the truth or not. We need to check to see if we have any injuries, including bite wounds. I don't know if you could become one of those living dead the same way people do in pulp novels, but I don't want to find out the hard way."

The pulse in the air again makes the very air vibrate, and make me feel like my body's on the verge of being corrupted.

"And _I_ am already getting sick of that," Kakashi says. He looks right at Amaru. "_You're_ doing this, aren't you?"

"That's what everyone says," Amaru says. Her back is towards us, and it's clear from her choked-up voice that she's crying. "T-That's what they all say. T-That everything b-bad is my fault."

_There is something corrupt about that girl. Or _inside_ that girl. It is not like anything else I've ever sensed._

It figures that when the Nine-Tails has insight, it's because of something like this.

Fuu walks up to Amaru. "Okay, come on. I don't know your story but you gotta get ahold of yourself. Take it from me, you're with good people here. Ms. Uzumaki especially."

She look at me and winks. I return it. If I have to, I'll be Amaru's caretaker too until she can find a permanent home. She actually could have a bright future among Konoha's medical-nin if she were to get started the moment she shows up in Konoha. At twelve, thirteen years of age, it's almost too late . . . but not _quite_.

Fuu places her hand on Amaru's shoulder. "So ya know what, whatever happened . . . just let it go until you're safe. Right now, you're alive and that's what-"

"Am I?" Amaru interrupts. "Am I truly alive?"

The dark pulse shakes the air, and Fuu backs away, her hand over her mouth.

"Okay," Fuu spits. She's shaking, like she's trying not to double over. "What was _that_? Choumei didn't like that at _all_!"

_It's almost like one of my kind_.

What? You're saying Amaru's a jinchuuriki?

_No. But something close. Something is inside her and it's breaking free._

Damn it. I ready myself. I haven't used up all of my shuriken and kunai yet. I can-

"There's something _wrong_ with her chakra!" Neji shouts all of a sudden. I look at him out of the corner of my eye and he has his Byakugan engaged. "It's distorted or something, I've never seen anything like it before!"

"That's right," Amaru says. Her voice is soft, hollow. "There's always something wrong with me . . . that's all everyone ever says."

I can see an aura of some kind forming around her. It's just adding to the dark pulses shaking the air around us. And the aura . . . it's _pitch-black_.

I turn to Fuu. "Fuu, you need to-"

I suddenly see it. The light of Fuu's chakra wafting away from her and heading right towards Amaru, where, as it merges into the chakra aura, it turns pitch-black.

"Fuu, get away from her! _Now_!" I scream.

Fuu shakes her head, like she's shaking out of a trance, and looks down at herself. "What the heck?"

I take off towards Fuu, but then I see kunai fly by my eyes and strike Amaru. The girl staggers, but remains standing.

I turn back towards my allies, and I see Yugao re-positioning herself. "What was that for, Yugao Uzuki?"

Yugao's dark eyes are widening. "There . . . there's something evil about the girl . . . I was . . . I was trying to stop it, but . . ."

"But?" I turn back around, to see Amaru take the kunai thrown into her chest and just yank them out. Dark liquid spills out of her and joins the chakra aura in billowing around her.

The bandanna comes flying off her head, and Amaru's long blood-orange colored hair begins to fly everywhere like she's caught in a hurricane. She looks up at us, and her eyes are red and black . . . just like Youko Ochiai right before she transformed into a hideous monster.

Amaru groans in pain as she begins to grow before our eyes. Tears are still spilling from those monstrous eyes she now has, and her voice, while deepening by the second, is still recognizably human.

"There . . . there will be nothing . . . just . . ."

"Amaru, please!" I shout. "Whatever's happening to you, you have to stop it!"

Amaru's hideous eyes, still tear-stricken, just _look_ at me. And then I see the emotion behind the bestial appearance of those eyes. Complete, utter _hopelessness_.

"I'll . . . I-I'll just be an . . . an _experiment_ . . . to you people . . . not even . . . h-human . . ."

The dark aura has become so powerful that it's almost covered up Amaru's body. I can barely see her anymore except for those glowing red eyes.

And then I see it. Like Amaru's body is _melting_ under the force of her chakra.

Her voice speaks one last time, hollow and lonely and furious and despairing, all at once.

"I . . . am . . . _nothing_."

The power blasts at all of us then as the chakra flies all over her, and Amaru's body is no longer visible. All I see is raw dark power billowing in front of us.

Pain. Pain _everywhere_! What is . . . what is this?

Screaming. All around me. Screaming. I spin around and I see everyone else's chakra is being pulled away. So much of it!

And my chakra's being pulled away too! What's going on. How can this beast just yank my chakra away like . . .

Then it stops. The pain, the sense of something reaching inside me and combing through my very nerves to siphon power. I feel like I'm empty somehow, like I'm only half-here. I look at to where the dark power is billowing, and then I see a coherent shape emerge.

It looks almost like a giant _leech_. A Noh mask with long orange hair emerges from the oozing insect, seeming to form a face on the beast.

"Amaru?" I ask. "Amaru, is that you?"

The beast, or at least its mask, seems to look at me. "_So much despair . . . so much darkness, inside all of you. None of you are pure. All of you are vulnerable . . . _pathetically _vulnerable_."

The leech-like monster suddenly has several dark hands burst from the middle of its body. "_Especially you . . . woman. You have the most despair of all_."

Me. It's talking to _me_. It's going to attack _me_!

"What the hell are you?" I ask, pulling out the Habanero Ninjatou. I pour some of my remaining chakra into it, making it ignite.

I don't know what I'm facing here, but this _has_ to work! It has to! It's the best I have! "Are you some kind of Tailed Beast?"

"_I am called the Zero-Tails_," the monster replies. "_And you will ensure my power over all of your kind_."

I feel the dark pulse in the air, and it makes my entire body feel twice as heavy for a split second before I shake it off. No, the _Nine-Tails_ is shaking it off for me. And it's angry! No, _enraged_! I can feel it want to claw out of me and tear this thing apart itself!

_It is raw malice and hatred, woman! It is nothing but that! I can't stand it! I _won't_ stand it!_

The burgeoning hands seem to ready themselves. And then I hear the monster's voice one final time.

"_Now . . . become a part of me_."

And then the hands, all seven, eight, _nine_ of them, come charging right for me, looking to swallow me like an insect inside a fly-trap.

* * *

I don't know how many of you have seen the _Bonds_ movie, but there's going to be some changes.

1. There's no Sky Country army of mooks. I just found that element ridiculous and borderline nonsensical. Thus, the bad guy is acting alone here.  
2. There's going to be a few alterations in some of the locations found in the movie. What and why will be revealed soon.  
3. The Zero-Tails is going to be a bit more of an Eldritch Abomination than in the movie, if that isn't already clear after this chapter. I wanted to make the beast creepier and more of a threat. However, like the movie, it is NOT a true Tailed Beast like Kurama or Choumei.  
4. Amaru is dead, unlike the movie. Things are darker and edgier and far more lethal here.  
5. The events, just like in the Snow arc, do tie into the ultimate ending of the story. That's the main reason for most of the changes.


	50. Zero

Wow, just saw the Sony E3 conference. Pwnage doesn't even begin to describe it.

Anyway, this is going up a bit early due to time constraints tomorrow. Hope you enjoy.

I did make the decision to split my story into four separate fics instead of two really, really long ones. The Redeemer will end in ten chapters, but the sequel already has six chapters written. That will help with the length issues.

Thank you for all of the reviews. It was really heartening to see some new people get into the fic and enjoy it. I apologize if you think the story's moving too slow. The sequel will have significantly quicker pacing because of the lessons of this fic.

* * *

**Chapter Fifty: Zero**

I leap out of the way of the hands, and they contort as they fly by me, and seem to turn into sharpened tendrils. The Zero-Tails is like nothing else I've ever seen, flexible and powerful and while it barely moves it can make create limbs that operate like swift extensions of itself.

The tendrils begin chasing me as I run through the forest. Although it's a good thing it's not paying much attention to the others, I don't know what else I can-

"Wind Style! Air Bullets Technique!"

That is _not_ me shouting that.

It's . . .

That's Mikoto!

The tendrils are shot off and they go flying elsewhere into the woods. I see one of them land by me, and after it contorts, it falls limp.

And then disintegrates into red ooze that melts the ground where it fell.

So I can't even have this _splashed_ on me if I successfully hit it. This makes killing it even more difficult. If I hit the Zero-Tails with the Rasengan, I'm going to be sending this _ooze_ that I guess is blood everywhere! And anyone who gets this splashed on them is going to die. Die _horribly_.

Mikoto lands in front of me, and I see just a hint of red in her eyes before she quickly turns to face the Zero-Tails.

The Sharingan. She's activated it.

"Are you all right, Kushina?" Mikoto asks.

The Zero-Tails crash-lands directly in front of us, and the Moh mask that I suppose is acting as the creature's face as well seems to stare at us. There's no emotion, no _nothing_. Just this eerie sense that we're both being _studied_.

"I'm fine. You didn't tell me you had copied my Air Bullets, though," I reply.

"You've made productive use of them during our missions together," Mikoto says, pulling out a pair of kunai and adapting a battle stance. "Why _wouldn't_ I copy it?"

"Point taken." I ready myself.

The Zero-Tails speaks then. "_Interesting. You too have a fascinating amount of despair and hatred in you._"

"I don't appreciate being cross-examined." Mikoto chucks her kunai at the Zero-Tails, and I see right before impact that she's planted explosive tags on both blades.

An explosion, erupts, and I see smoke rise from the impacts.

"I've spent the last four years being cross-examined by psychologists and Torture and Interrogation and medical-nin," Mikoto growls. "I've had enough of that."

When Mikoto returned to being a full-time kunoichi, she had specialists of every kind constantly examining her physically and mentally. Mikoto didn't like it very much and complained to me that the constant visits and probing made it more difficult to recover than anything else. At the same time, I can't blame the specialists for looking at her so closely. Not after what Kakashi told me a few months ago with the concerns that Mikoto had been tortured by Itachi, her own son, through genjutsu.

Now's not the time to worry about that, though. Not with a strange and increasingly _weird_ monster that I'm locked in combat with, and I'm stressing my chakra reserves. I did not have nearly enough of a break to restore my chakra to something resembling full extent.

"Mikoto, watch it with the explosions. Everything that comes flying off this monster melts into boiling ooze," I say.

"Yeah, I see that," Mikoto says. "The ground's melted right in front of the smoke."

I hear the Zero-Tails' deep, otherworldly voice then, no sign of pain in it. Just _annoyance_. "_Your efforts are meaningless. Neither of you will accomplish what you seek. Neither of you will save those you want to save._"

Mikoto makes a snarling noise. "Shut up! You don't know what I want, you stupid creature!"

Suddenly chakra erupts from Mikoto and she screams in pain.

"Mikoto!" I run forward and grab her, and yank her away from where her chakra is getting pulled. I can see the smoke fading, and the light of Mikoto's chakra being converted into darker-colored chakra before merging with the monster.

Several explosions erupt from around the beast then, and I see the other ninja with us appear, surrounding us. "Are you all right, Kushina, Mikoto?" Kakashi asks.

"I'm fine. Mikoto just had her chakra sucked out, though," I reply. I extinguish the Habanero Ninjatou and put it away, I'm going to need to carry Mikoto to somewhere safe, and I need _both_hands for that.

"Guy!" Kakashi shouts. "You get your genin and our prisoner out of the area! This is not your fight, keep the children safe!"

I can hear Guy shout back his reply. "You got it, Kakashi! The power of my flaming youth will ensure it!"

"_Your efforts to protect others are useless._" the Zero-Tails replies. And then dozens of hands shoot out from the smoke, aiming for all of us.

I grab Mikoto's body and jump backwards, but immediately one of the hands adjusts its direction! Even before I land on the ground, I see it coming from for Mikoto and I!

Damn it! Can't dodge!

I look down at Mikoto, who looks halfway between conscious and not.

No choice. This is gonna hurt.

I spin my body so my back is turned to the creature's hand, and then I feel it.

Not just the physical pain or force from the blow to my back.

It feels like my very soul has had a hot iron burned across it.

Pain. Pain everywhere.

Every nerve-ending. Every bone. Every muscle. Every organ. Every fiber of my being.

Pain.

Pain.

Pain.

Am I on the ground? I can't tell.

My eyes are blurry, and I realize I'm staring at the sky. Everything hurts just to move, and I turn to look at the monster that had struck me.

I see it, looming over me, like some omnipotent demon, waiting to reach inside and grab my soul.

Mikoto. Where's Mikoto? I lost Mikoto!

Shadow. A shadow over me. Why . . .?

I turn, to see another hand blast out from the creature, this time looking to ensnare me. I see an explosion blast the tendril in mid-air and it goes flying over me and crashing into the forest.

I can just make out a masculine voice shout "Kushina! Kushina, you have to get up!"

Sounds like . . . sounds like . . .

Kakashi.

He's right. Come on. Come on, stupid body. Get up.

You need to get up, find Mikoto, and . . .

Ow.

Ow.

_Ow_!

My stomach! Damn it, it feels like it's boiling over inside me!

It _hurts_!

My head slams into the ground as I double over, my hands clutching my stomach. It's the seal. Has to be the seal. It . . . it has to be _damaged_ somehow, I don't know how or why, but . . .

The voice. I hear it. The damned beast's voice, and it's louder than ever!

_It's not the seal that's weakened, woman, it's _you.

W-What do you mean?

_The creature attacks both physically and spiritually. And you're so weak spiritually that all it takes is being hit _once_ and you're almost dead. Pathetic._

I am _not_ weak spiritually, you animal! Who are you to-

_The only thing more pathetic than you is your friend. She didn't even get hit directly and she's already comatose. I wonder what goes through your friend's head to be downed so easily._

Shut up! Why won't you just-

_I'm the one in control here, woman._

The _pain_!

Make it stop! Make it stop!

Everything . . . everything is _cracking_. My entire body . . . _cracking_. Changing!

My hands . . . my hands!

My heart . . . thrashing in my chest! Like it's exploding!

Fight it . . . you have to _fight it_!

Even if you can't stop it . . . you can't go to Four-Tails! Once you go Four-Tails, it's all over, the beast has control!

So much power . . . so much _rage_ . . .

And it's not my own.

It's the beast inside me!

It's a fire bursting to life!

Help me!

Someone help me!

Minato! Please help me!

HELP ME!

* * *

_Pain. Pain and power. Fire. Anger. Fire and anger and boiling and power and blood and flesh and skin and pain . . . _

_Can't . . . can barely think. What's going on?_

_My hands . . . _

_Still human skin. Clawed, but clearly still human skin. _

_Stand up . . . stand up . . ._

_I can't. I can't stand up, no matter how hard I try. _

_Three-Tails? Is that how much power I've gotten? _

_Malice. Evil. Despair. All from my left. _

_I look. _

_I see the creature. And I don't feel like the predator. _

_I feel like I've become the prey. _

_I feel like I've been backed into a corner, licking my wounds, trying desperately to fight back against something so much greater than I am. _

_And that _pisses me off_!_

_Come on. There's so much of this glorious, fierce power you should obliterate that monster! There's no reason to be afraid! Turn around and fight!_

_"_So this is your power, Kushina Uzumaki?_?" _

_My name? How does it know my name? _

_"_I see the confusion on your face, I see the confusion in your very essence. I can learn things just from your chakra. I know who you are. Your strengths . . . and your weaknesses._." _

_How about you go to hell? _

_My chakra tails form a fist and they slam right into the monster, knocking it through several trees and out into a plain. _

_"_There's some of that hatred I feel in you. But there's something _off_. You're holding back, Kushina Uzumaki_." _

_Shut up!_

_My tails thrash at the predator as I charge around it. I will not surrender to this thing! No matter how many tendrils or hands it sends flying my way!_

_It moves fluidly, swiftly, all of its hands. It's trying to both impale me and grab me at once, and it doesn't care which it succeeds at. All it wants is me helpless at its mercy. _

_One of the arms reaches in front of me and I slice it in half and let it fall to the ground. It seems to be trying to surround me in this plain . . . _

_No. _

_The site of this _ruin_. _

_I can just vaguely remember this place . . . why? Why do I . . .? _

_Wait. The ruin. It's the ruin I had passed by just hours ago. It's the same one. _

_The predator appears in front of me all of a sudden, and I see dozens of arms bubble into existence in the front of the predator's body. _

_Get away. _

_Get away. _

Get away from me_!_

_I feel raw chakra boiling inside me, coming up through my throat. I open my mouth at it and I feel the raw, blinding chakra come blasting out, charging right for the predator in front of me. _

_I can hear the predator grunt from the raw chakra blasting it and I see it fly through the air, parts of it burned. But it quickly reshapes itself, like it took no damage at all. _

_Impossible. It's like I can't kill this thing. _

_"_You are most interesting . . ._" _

_All of a sudden, the predator charges for the door I had seen hours ago, the door with the odd symbol that acted a seal. A golden glow wafts from the door and it cracks open, and the predator suddenly contorts itself into a snake-like shape and enters. _

_Malice._

_That's all I sense. _

_Malice. Everywhere. _

_"Kushina!" It's a masculine voice. _

_An annoyance. I turn and I see him, the man with the plain face. _

_"Kushina, you recognize me, don't you? You like to call me 'Tenzo' just like Kakashi does," the plain-faced man says. _

_Shut up and stay out of my way. _

_"Kushina, stop growling and get ahold of yourself right now or you won't like the consequences. Your skin is starting to flake off, and I know enough of you to know that's a warning sign," the plain-faced man says. _

_My skin . . .? _

_I look down. My hands . . . the skin _is_ starting to peel off . . ._

_I'm about to . . ._

_No! I can't let this happen! Force it all down! Think about something . . . anything . . . !_

_"Kushina, would _Naruto_ want to see you like this?" the plain-faced man asks. "Would he?"_

_"Naruto . . .?" _

_My voice. It's so deep, so harsh, so rough. It hardly sounds like me. _

_It's not the voice of Naruto's mother at all. _

_Naruto . . . _

_My son . . ._

_He's right._

_I will not become a monster on you. _

_I will not go a step further!_

_Give me back control!_

_I don't need this power!_

_I will not let Naruto down!_

_I won't fail him again!_

_I won't fail Konoha either!_

_Now _set me FREE!

* * *

My hands are bleeding, and my head is pounding, but I can feel it fade. The aggression, the rage, the bloodlust. I _just_ managed to stop it. Stop it right before the point of no return.

Tenzo walks up to me. "You back to normal, Kushina?"

"I'm fine." I stare at my hands, and watch the skin slowly restore itself. The beast's healing powers are still on overdrive, even though I am not consciously drawing on its chakra. My hands should be back to normal shortly. Still hurts a lot, though, like they've been burned, though the pain is lessening by the second.

I don't like how jaded I've become to this kind of pain. I've been badly wounded a _lot_ over the years, and I don't have a single scar because of the Nine-Tails' regenerative chakra. The only physical pain that really . . . really took me by surprise is my memories of going into labor with Naruto. I've felt so many other kinds of pain so many times that, while I can't really say I've gotten "used" to it, because that's not the right way to describe it. But this is pain I've felt before. I can brace myself for it. I can function in spite of it. And the pain always goes away, because of the Nine-Tails' chakra healing me.

I can afford to get hurt, because I can get better in days or weeks even from the most serious injuries, while a normal person will take months, perhaps even over a year. That's my fate as a jinchuuriki.

"You're absolutely sure you're all right?" Tenzo asks.

"Yes. I'm not going to lose it again." Now to change the subject before Tenzo probes me too deeply. "How's Mikoto?"

Tenzo's face remains impasive. "She's regaining consciousness. Yugao is looking at her now."

That's good. At least something hasn't gone horribly wrong here. I walk over to the door, which has remained opened. "The creature went inside here. I'm sure it wants us to pursue."

"Yeah, duh!" That's not Tenzo, that's _Fuu_. Damn it, why hasn't she run off with Might Guy and the other genin? "It's probably some kind of a trap!"

"Fuu . . . could you kindly tell me why you didn't follow Might Guy and the others out of the battle zone?" I ask, turning to face her. She's standing right behind me, staring at the same open door I am.

Fuu chuckles nervously. "Um . . . we got separated, and I felt safer by the elite ninja, if that makes sense."

I'm not going to tolerate Fuu's shenanigans right now. The situation is just too dangerous. "Fuu, I want you to head back to Konoha _immediately_. No arguing. You can easily catch up to Might Guy and the others."

"Can you tell me you're okay first? You're bleeding everywhere," Fuu says.

I look at my hands again. "I'm fine, Fuu. It's just my hands."

"Why . . . why do your transformations make you hurt so much, Ms. Uzumaki? My transformations don't make me bleed."

I don't have a good answer for her. "Look, Fuu . . . please, don't worry about me. It's not your responsibility."

"Yeah, it is! We're _nakama_, remember? Why shouldn't I worry about you? You worry about _me_ all the time!"

I'm reminded of why "nakama" has become a dead word in the ninja villages. This is a prime example why. "Fuu, my hands are going to look a lot better in a few minutes, all right? My powers may hurt me but they heal me too. I'm going to be all right, I promise."

Thankfully, Kakashi appears then, Mikoto draped around his shoulder, and I see Yugao and Genma both appear as well.

Yugao is the one who speaks. "Did the Zero-Tails go inside there?"

"Yes, it did," I say. I approach the entrance, which remains wide open. All I see is darkness in front of me. No lights. No _anything_. I doubt even Fuu's blinding powder could light this place up.

Kakashi sighs. "Kushina, I don't think we're in any shape to pursue that creature right now."

"You're right. That's why this entrance needs to be blown up," I say. "Just like with the zombies in Orochimaru's little hideout back there. We need to seal this creature off the _hard_ way."

"I don't think it matters," Yugao says. "The creature got out in spite of the seal designed to keep it in. I don't think anything short of killing it will stop it from being unleashed anymore."

Tenzo growls. "Damn it. We really do have to kill it somehow, don't we?"

"Kakashi, unhand me," Mikoto says. "I can stand under my own power."

Kakashi lets Mikoto go and Mikoto wobbles but manages to stand upright. "I think . . . I think I know how that beast gets so powerful. Remember all the talk about 'dark chakra' back in the hideout, Kushina?"

"Yes," I reply.

"Please don't forget that there's four - well, _five_ of us, sorry, Fuu - who have no clue what you two are talking about," Kakashi says.

"Right," Mikoto says. "What our prisoner, Karin Kozuki, told us in the hideout is that Orochimaru has been experimenting with this theoretical sixth chakra nature, which is called 'dark chakra'. Apparently they could only get it in trace quantities, but it's powerful . . . Karin claimed that dark chakra is one of the reasons why those living dead could be created . . . and could ultimately bring immortality as well."

Kakashi sighs in dismay. "Lovely. Just what we need. A genocidal maniac like Orochimaru living forever."

"But that's not the full story," Mikoto says. "Amaru . . . the girl, who transformed into that 'Zero-Tails' creature, said that her master told her that Sky Country apparently used a heavy amount of dark chakra. It was how they created their flying cities . . . and how they could become hulking beings of great power and longevity. Some of this is from Karin Kozuki too, she confirmed and expanded upon what Amaru told us."

"None of us are old enough to have fought in, or even remember, the Second Shinobi World War," Yugao says. "And much of what Sky Country was able to do remains a mystery because their cities were literally obliterated, killing the populace to a man."

"I think the Zero-Tails may have been an ultimate weapon for Sky Country," Mikoto says. "Amaru may have been a descendent of Sky Country, or maybe not, we'll never know now. But the Zero-Tails was planted in her and it emerged when we were surrounded by dark chakra . . . which was implanted in Orochimaru's living dead. And you _all_ felt what the Zero-Tails can do. It drew away our chakra and turned it into 'dark chakra'. . . and it _learned_ things about us. Like it could scan our very souls."

Mikoto turns to all of us. "The Zero-Tails is basically dark chakra personified. That's what we're up against here. I don't think we have any choice but to destroy it, and destroy it _now_, especially after Kushina made it run away."

Yugao folds her arms. "For a woman who had her head torn apart by her own son, you seem very in control of your thoughts, Mikoto Uchiha."

Mikoto's dark eyes flare up and she spins towards Yugao. Her voice gets lower, nastier. "Don't you _ever_ patronize me. I don't care if you're ANBU Black Ops. You don't know anything about me . . . and I _prefer_ it that way."

She walks away from them, heading towards Fuu and I. "If you must know . . . Itachi was going to kill me and then torture Sasuke with his genjutsu. I . . . I knew I did not have the power to stop him . . . so I _begged_ him to let me take Sasuke's place, that . . . that whatever he needed to torture Sasuke for, I, being an adult and a former jonin, would be a better choice . . . and Itachi . . . he . . ."

I don't want to hear this anymore. I can already see where this is going. "It's all right, Mikoto. You don't need to say anything more."

"I didn't want to say anything at all," Mikoto says bitterly. "But the Zero-Tails knows. I know that damned creature knows. I'm not going to let it use Itachi's torture as a weapon against myself or anyone here."

It occurs to me that Mikoto had told me precious little of what had happened to her that night. I had just operated under the assumption that seeing her entire clan murdered by Itachi had broken her. I didn't know Itachi had gotten his hands on my friend _personally_. Or that . . . . that Mikoto had been tortured, or even _asked_ for it.

No wonder . . . no wonder Mikoto had been a total wreck when I had found her in the compound, so desperate to find Sasuke. She had taken Sasuke's place in whatever Itachi's plan was. And that meant that Sasuke was in real danger of joining the rest of the clan in death.

That was why I wound up fighting Itachi's probable accomplice. He was going to kill Sasuke and I interfered with that.

"How do we know if we can trust you, then?" Yugao asks. "Why would Itachi Uchiha kill his clan and leave just one member alive and completely broken?"

"I don't care if you trust me," Mikoto says. "I just knew that Sasuke would shatter completely and I wouldn't."

No wonder Mikoto wants to kill Itachi so much. She was forced into such an inhumane, cruel choice, saw her entire clan murdered. Revenge is all that has to be on her mind, and I doubt she wants Sasuke to have any of that on his shoulders. She wants Itachi dead before Itachi changes his mind and _does_ go after Sasuke.

She walks past me, wiping her eyes with the back of her right hand. "I'm getting this over with. Follow if you want."

She enters the door. "You sure you should go first?" I ask.

"Kushina, I-"

Noises. Erupting all around us.

"What the heck?" Fuu shouts. I see her legs stumbling under her feet and she begins to fall.

She is in the absolute worst position for this, standing on a couple of steps. She has no chance of keeping her balance.

I reach out and grab her. I wrap my right arm around a broken statue sticking out of the ground and my left arm pulls Fuu in. I look out to where the other ninja are, and I see this black_pulse_ shoot out and knock the others away. They cry out as they're knocked away several feet, and then I see it. Right in front of where the ninja all way, the ground _cracking_.

My side is rising into the air . . . and Kakashi's side is staying planted firmly on the ground.

"Kakashi! Yugao! Genma!" The ground stops vibrating violently and I run over to the edge of the soil and kneel, looking down at the three ninja trying to get up. They're all getting progressively smaller as we continue to rise into the air.

I can hear Kakashi shout _something_, but I can't hear him anymore. Not above the noises of the ground continuing to rise . . . we have to be hundreds, maybe over a _thousand_ feet in the air already.

"What's going on?" Fuu asks. She kneels beside me, and her eyes widen. "Dang it! There's no way!"

A part of me considers taking Fuu and throwing her off the castle so she could fly to the ground and be safe with the others. But as I begin reach to her shoulder to do that, I realize that all I'd be doing is betraying Fuu's trust. The girl considers me her hero, that much is clear, and to treat her that way isn't how a hero treats those who believe in her.

Also . . . she's sprout wings and fly all right, but instead of flying to the ground she'd just fly right back up here and get in my face about it. It's pointless.

So . . .

I rub her shoulder instead. "We're flying, Fuu. Don't ask me how or why, but we are."

I pull her away from the edge. "Fuu, I need you to listen to me, and listen to me _carefully_. You stay right by me, don't touch anything, no matter what it is, and when we fight the Zero-Tails, you do _everything_ I say."

"Yeah . . . yeah, I can do that," Fuu says. Her frightened orange eyes suggest she can barely take in what's going on right now, but I know she's trying.

"Thank you." I get up off the ground and turn back towards the entrance. I don't see Mikoto at _all_.

Not good. I know she wasn't launched like Kakashi, Yugao, and Genma all were. That means she's somewhere in the fortress already, alone.

She won't stay that way for long.

I look at my hands. They've fully healed. All right, my body is ready. I just hope I have enough chakra to fight one more battle.

"Fuu, there's no getting out of fighting the Zero-Tails," I say. "We have to kill it. I'm sure it's how the ruin was able to take off. We need to kill it and send this place crashing right back to the ground."

"Where do you think we could be flying to?" Fuu asks.

"I don't know, and I don't want to find out," I reply. But a sneaking suspicion tells me that if the Zero-Tails really _was_ a weapon of Sky Country . . . and if it wants revenge for the second war . . .

The closest ninja village to wipe out would be Konoha.

Damn it.

The wind's picking up. The ruin is beginning to fly at a faster pace. If we don't get inside _now_ the wind could become strong enough to blow us off the top of this . . . this _floating island_.

I take Fuu by her hand and run her up to the entrance. "Come on, we need to get inside! Before we begin flying too fast!"

We make it inside, and I shut the doors. There's a small amount of ambient light, I can just _barely_ see.

"Mikoto?" I shout.

No answer. Crap.

I can at least change being almost blind. I draw the Habanero Ninjatou and ignite it. It'll make a good torch if nothing else. "Fuu, watch my back. I'll lead the way."

"Okay, sounds good. Taki Style, Water Slicing Blade!"

I look, and I see Fuu holding that blade of solid water. It looks smaller than usual, I guess there just isn't a lot of water around.

"I'm all set, Ms. Uzumaki," Fuu says.

"All right. Now follow me, and stay close. Don't wander off or leave my side. If a trap gets triggered, we're not getting separated by it, clear?"

"Uh huh. I get it, Ms. Uzumaki. I'm ready. Just get walking, I'm right behind you. Nothing will get us from behind, I swear it."

Excellent. Fuu's learning to follow orders. She just might be ready for the Chuunin Exams after all.

But first . . . we need to make sure that there'll even be Chuunin Exams to hold.

I begin walking into the ruin, my blade of fire ready to strike at a moment's notice.

* * *

I decided to take the Zero-Tails and transform it into pure nightmare fuel. Lemme know if I succeeded at that. :)


	51. Finding the Body

The next four chapters, including this one, are doozies. Don't let the fact that this is based on events from a filler movie blind you to that. Important stuff is going down.

This chapter is going up early because I'm going to be gone all day tomorrow. Monday is not going to be the permanent posting date, I promise ^^;

* * *

**Chapter Fifty-One: Finding the Body**

"I don't like dark, creepy places," Fuu says as we slowly walk down the hallways, back-to-back.

"I don't like them either." It's _very_ tempting to tell Fuu 'I told you so' about throwing herself in danger all the time, but that's a lecture that can wait until we get out of here alive.

Like the Rasengan, the Habanero Ninjatou doesn't drain my chakra once it's filled, though the chakra I put inside the blade _does_ slowly get used up. But the chakra I have to force into the sword is far less than what I'm regaining right now. Hopefully I'll have enough to put up a good fight against the Zero-Tails.

I will not let that thing come anywhere close to Konoha. At this point, that's where I assume this fortress is going. Other than Haku, Karin, and poor Amaru, all of the chakra the beast absorbed was from Konoha ninja. It has to know where we live. It has to know that Konoha helped destroy Sky Country at the end of the Second Shinobi World War.I don't see many ninja having a chance against the Zero-Tails. It just seems designed to make sure ninja can't win.

But somehow, I need to find a way. Hopefully, the Habanero Ninjatou, Minato's final gift to me, is what I need. Perhaps burning the creature will kill it just like it killed the monster Youko Ochiai transformed into.

I don't have any other ideas. I wasn't doing any lasting damage trying to tear the Zero-Tails apart when I was drawing on the Nine-Tails' chakra. If fire doesn't work, I don't know what else I can do.

I wish I could find Mikoto. I'm afraid to call out to her, though. I don't know if the Zero-Tails knows I'm here, and calling out could bring the beast right down on Fuu and I. I'd prefer if the element of surprise wasn't solely in the Zero-Tails' favor.

"This place looks like a dump," Fuu says. "All of these vines and low-light plants and weeds sprouting from all of the cracks. It hasn't been working for a while."

"This is from Sky Country, it was destroyed in the Second Shinobi World War, which was a _long_ time ago," I reply. "Before my time, even."

"Wow," Fuu says. "What did Sky Country do?"

"They were stupid enough to attack all of the five great shinobi nations," I reply. "All they did was unify all of the warring nations against them. Great and small, from Taki to Konoha to Kumo to the samurai of the Land of Iron and the Land of Snow . . . they all unified together to destroy Sky Country once and for all . . . and they did it. There was a brief period of peace following the end of Sky Country, before tensions rose again and created the Third Shinobi World War."

"Did the old guy who leads your village fight in it?" Fuu asks.

"Yes, he did," I reply.

"Dang. I need to ask him about it sometime," Fuu says. "I don't know _anything_ about Sky Country."

"Some things should stay dead . . . especially this ruin," I reply.

"I got a dumb question," Fuu says. "If the Zero-Tails is connected to Sky Country, why didn't Sky Country like unleash it on all of the ninja and kill 'em all?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," I reply. But Fuu is right. That _is_ an inconsistency . . . a curious one.

Big turquoise double doors in front of us. They look meticulously sculpted, with curious patterns of what seems to be a dead language scribbled across it. I walk up and peer at the door. The patterns suggest an alphabet of some kind, the closest example I can think of is the Kumo alphabet. Kumo speaks the same language as Konoha ninja, but they write it significantly differently.

But even Kumo's odd alphabet is a far cry from what I'm seeing here. I've studied Kumo's alphabet, but the words here don't make much sense, which makes me think that this is a different language altogether.

What can I make out . . .

"You think this could be the control room?" Fuu asks me.

"I have no idea. I can barely read any of the letters," I say. "The closest equivalent I can think of is the Kumo alphabet but even that is far removed from this."

"What does it say?" Fuu asks. "Your best guess, I mean?"

I stare at the letters. "I honestly can't tell. If this _is_ the control room, though . . . we need to shut it down and send this crashing right back into the ground."

That's when I hear a voice beyond those doors.

"Kushina Uzumaki. I was wondering how long it would take for you to find this place."

That voice . . . that deep, booming voice. I recognize it from somewhere . . . where?

The doors open all of a sudden, right in front of me, and the lights in the room beyond come to life. I raise my free hand to keep the light from blinding me, and I slowly walk into the room, my ninjatou ready to strike.

"What's going on?" Fuu asks.

"Just stay behind me," I instruct. "And be ready to adjust your eyes."

I slowly walk into the circular room, and I can see a figure sitting on a large throne the same color as the doors in the center of the room. It becomes clear that crumbled stone ruins sit on both sides of the room, like palace balconies that had come completely undone and collapsed on themselves. And above me . . . is a metallic navy dome that encompasses the entire room, with a bright orb of light in the center, illuminating this place like daylight is shining through.

Behind the throne is an eerie emerald structure. What its purpose is I couldn't possibly know. It could be emerald, like a symbol of wealth . . . or it could be something not yet known in the outside world. I can't tell.

I peer at the throne again, and suddenly, the figure looks much more familiar.

No wait . . . I've seen him before.

I saw him just _hours_ ago.

"Kushina Uzumaki," that deep, familiar voice says. "Welcome to Ancor Vantian, the capital city of Sky Country. Or, in our language, 'The Fortress of the King'."

"Doctor Shinnou?" I ask.

The aged man with long white hair chuckles. "Yes, it is me. Rumors of my demise have been _greatly_ exaggerated."

"Who's this guy?" Fuu asks. She makes it to my side, and her Water Slicing Blade is ready to attack at any time. She knows something is wrong.

As do I.

"This man was a prisoner of Orochimaru, being forced to treat one of Orochimaru's top ninja," I explain. "The prisoner seemed to have killed him, impaling him in several spots on his body. But the body . . . seemed to have _vanished_ during the battle . . . his apprentice, Amaru, couldn't find the body."

I grip my blade harder. Something is horribly wrong. "And that's because the body got up and moved."

Shinnou chuckles. "You have it right, Kushina Uzumaki. Though it's become _quite_ obvious, I doubt even an idiot wouldn't be able to piece two and two together. Yes, I survived . . . though I really _did_ get impaled by Kimimaro's wave of bones. I had to make my death seem real to Amaru and the rest of you after all."

"If those strikes were real, you should have died," I reply. "It's impossible."

Shinnou gives me a knowing smile, and he gets up from the giant throne. "It's not impossible. Not with the Body Activation Technique."

"The Body Activation Technique?" I ask. "What's that?"

Shinnou makes a mocking bow. "What do you think it does, Kushina Uzumaki?"

"You're clearly unhurt." I raise the ninjatou in my hands and fill the chakra to maximum capacity. "That's not natural."

"Not natural?" Shinnou chuckles. "And what should we call your _own_ recovery from all of your own injuries, hmm? Are they somehow more natural than mine?"

I half-expect the Nine-Tails to make a comment about it, but the voice is silent. In fact, the beast's silence is deafening. After being such a chatterbox for the last few days, I'm shocked that it isn't saying anything at all.

"My recovery is due to the Nine-Tailed Fox inside me," I reply. "Its chakra grants me accelerated healing. It comes in handy. Should I assume your 'Body Activation Technique' works in a similar way?"

"As a base concept, yes," Shinnou replies. "But it can go far beyond that."

"I have _no_ clue what the heck you guys are talkin' about," Fuu groans.

"Ohh?" Shinnou eyes the girl. "Aren't you the interesting one? How fortuitous. The two most interesting chakras come stumbling into my lap."

"Most interesting chakras?" Fuu asks. "How the heck do you know whose chakra is interesting or not?"

"Isn't the answer obvious?" Shinnou asks in turn. "The _Zero-Tails_ told me. In fact, that voice you heard coming from the Zero-Tails? It was _me_."

Fuu gasps, and I immediately step in front of her. That's it. The time for talking is coming to an end _rapidly_. I have to make sure she stays safe. "So . . . is this some sort of grand design, then? All of this?"

Shinnou's smile grows wider, showing teeth. "In a sense. There's been some improvisation here and there. I wasn't expecting to have my plan already come to fruition so _quickly_. But . . . I saw an opportunity and chose to seize it while I could. After all . . . the dark chakra everywhere in Orochimaru's lair was accelerating little Amaru's transformation quite nicely."

The smile grows more malicious. "Or . . . I should say . . . that the Zero-Tails just became too much for her body to handle."

"You planted the Zero-Tails inside her?" I ask. "You really did that to her?"

"Ah . . . where do I begin?" Shinnou paces back and forth in front of us.

The horror of what that girl must have felt in her final moments . . . when her body was visibly _melting_ . . . to think that this man would subject a _child_ to that . . . to just be this thing for a monster to _leech_ off of . . .

The Zero-Tails is definitely not a true Tailed Beast. Choumei doesn't do that to Fuu, and the Nine-Tails doesn't do that to me either.

I should strike right now and end this bastard, while he's beginning his little soliloquy in front of us. Impale him and set him alight with this blade of mine-

Dark pulse in the air. It feels different from all of the other pulses I've felt. This doesn't cut as deeply, it just scrapes me. As if it's a warning.

The Nine-Tails doesn't take it very well. I feel it thrashing around, and my stomach wants to heave. But the implication is clear.

If I attack, I'm going to trigger something. Something horrible.

Something almost impossible to defeat.

But it's not the Zero-Tails. It's not the beast. The pulses are coming from . . .

I look at Shinnou. Clearly he's responsible for this. _All_ of it.

"Sky Country . . . how I dearly miss the place," Shinnou says. "I was only a young man when it was destroyed. But it was . . . it was such a glorious country that had no limits, no borders. Its only limitations were the skies themselves."

His eyes glitter at me dangerously then. "Seeing Konoha use our technology without understanding it is _insulting_. You people can't figure out how to make progress from what you've stolen from us. All you ninja are is a bunch of _thieves_."

"You lost," I reply. "To the victors go the spoils, correct?"

"Correct," Shinnou replies. "Which you're going to find out the hard way soon enough."

He sighs, almost wistfully. "Have you ever wondered, Kushina Uzumaki, why there were almost no prisoners taken in the final battle of the Second Shinobi World War? Why this magnificent flying palace crashed to the ground in so many pieces, why this is the only significant chunk still standing?"

"I always figured the various nations boarded it somehow and brought it down," I reply. "The histories have never been clear and the veterans I've talked to never spoke much about it."

Shinnou shakes his head. "It's because Sky Country lost control of the very thing that granted them so much power. The dark chakra, or should I say, the _Zero-Tails_ ate them from within. It's because Sky Country began to despair . . . their way of gaining advantage over their opponents became a crippling, self-destructive weakness to them . . . and they could no longer control the Zero-Tails that granted them so much power, including the ability to fly these palaces. And the Zero-Tails, after so many years without a single soul to replenish it, just atrophied."

He chuckles. "But then . . . then I found it, Kushina Uzumaki. I found it, and I took advantage of its own weakness to gain control over it myself. And unlike the foolish rulers of Sky Country, I don't have anything to despair over! I don't have any regrets! I don't even regret planting the beast inside Amaru!"

"So you just used Amaru as a pawn," I said. "For the Zero-Tails to leech off of."

"Yes," Shinnou replies with relish. "Amaru was an annoying little brat, always wanting to be taught this, taught that. I humored her with some basic medical techniques and she would lap it up like a _dog_. It was _such_ a waste of my time, especially as I knew her inevitable _fate_. But do you want to know why I wasted the time to have the girl bond with me, why I pretended to be interested in teaching her?"

I don't want to know. He's told me enough. But I have the sense that I'm not allowed to fight him yet. There's this sense of foreboding in the air, almost like killing intent, perched around us, waiting to strike. If I interrupt him, I _will_ start something and I will be at a disadvantage.

I can't help but feel it is Shinnou himself. Underneath those grandiose words is a complete _monster_, corrupted by whatever is fueling these pulses. This is nothing more than a shell, what I'm seeing now. How Shinnou presented himself to the world at large.

I have no choice. I have to humor him. I'll humor him like he humored Amaru.

_So ruthless and cruel. I actually _like_ it this time_.

I'm not sure that it's a good thing I have the Nine-Tails' approval over this one.

"Because the Zero-Tails draws on despair," I say. "Hatred, depression, malice, our greatest emotional weaknesses in general. You needed Amaru to bond with you because you were going to break the girl emotionally with faking your death, which would jump-start her transformation into the Zero-Tails."

Fuu gasps softly besides me. I look at her, and she looks ill.

I rub her shoulder to comfort her as Shinnou responds to me. "You catch on fast, Kushina Uzumaki. I'd expect nothing less from an S-ranked jonin."

Instead of chuckling, he outright _laughs_. "That's exactly right! The Zero-Tails needed to incubate, and Amaru was the perfect girl for that! Isolated her entire life because of her leprosy, and even after she was cured no one would accept her! No one but the doctor who saved her wretched little life! Despair was always under the surface, despair and hatred and self-loathing! She was so afraid of people that it was easy to keep her isolated, to keep her from building any alternative relationships, to keep her devoted to me! That's how people are, Kushina Uzumaki! You save their lives and they'll trust every fiber of their beings, without any questioning whatsoever!"

"Ms. Uzumaki . . ." Fuu whispers softly.

"It's not like that between us," I reply to Fuu. "It's not. I'm right here with you. We're nakama, just as you said."

Shinnou's continuing to babble on, like we're _nothing_ to him. "And when I saw Amaru reacting to the trace amounts of dark chakra in this ruin, and in Orochimaru's lair . . . I thought about starting my plan right then and there, but there was no good opening to do so. I thought my chance was gone. But then _you_ showed up, Kushina Uzumaki. You and your pretty Uchiha friend came and picked a fight with the patient Orochimaru forced upon me."

His golden eyes leer at me. He is a narcissist, I can tell. It's all about him, him and his power. "And then I had my opening. It was so simple to put myself in a position where I would appear to die in front of Amaru, and then vanish in the sea of bones and escape during the chaos of battle. I used my communication with the Zero-Tails to find the biggest source of dark chakra in Orochimaru's facility and spare it _everywhere_!"

That means . . . that means the "zombie gas" . . . "You're the one who turned on the gas, then?"

"Yes," Shinnou says.

Fuu gasps again. "You're the one who created all of those living dead? You're the one who made all of those people suffer?"

"Most of them were already murdered by Orochimaru or his minions," Shinnou replies. "I just brought them back from the dead to surround Amaru with dark chakra, to make her despair and hatred fester all the more, making the Zero-Tails _grow_ in strength."

"Monster!" Fuu shrieks. She suddenly charges forward.

"Fuu, wait!" I shout. And then I feel it again. The dark pulse in the room.

It seems to be aimed at Fuu but I still feel the reverberation from where I'm standing. It's like a shock wave that nearly makes me lose my balance. I look at Fuu, and she's on her hands and knees, gagging.

"Don't interrupt me," Shinnou snarls in what seems to be unbridled _rage_. The dark smile quickly returns, though. "I'm personally enjoying all of the control I have over you two right now. It's a feeling I can get used to, after all these years of helplessness."

"I've heard enough of your ranting," Fuu groans. She staggers to her feet, still holding the Water Slicing Blade. "You're nothing but a old jerk who likes making people suffer."

"And you know about suffering, don't you, little Fuu?" Shinnou asks, an odd, knowing glimmer in his eyes.

Fuu gasps. "No . . . no way . . . you couldn't!"

"Poor little Fuu, jinchuuriki of Taki. You couldn't just be unloved and ignored and mistrusted," Shinnou says mockingly. "No . . . your parents _despised_ your very existence!"

"Shut up!" Fuu screams.

"You search _desperately_ for someone you can love, someone you know will love you back! For thirteen years you couldn't find that person but now you think you found her, haven't you? Found a person who understands you, who loves you?"

"I said _shut up_!" Fuu screams.

Images flash through my mind. I see a woman with brown skin and turquoise hair with a knife aimed right at . . . at me? Fuu? I see people surrounding me, I feel pain, I . . .

Memories. I'm seeing flashes of Fuu's own memories, from Fuu's own perspective!

"_You're a demon_!" screams a woman's voice. "_This powder of yours . . . it's something out of hell! Look at what you did!_"

"_Ew, Fuu has bug wings!_" shouts a boy.

"_Fuu's a bug girl! Tiny little bug girl_!" taunts a girl.

"_You evil, evil child! Look at what you've done to your mother! Damn you! Damn you to hell!_" shouts a man.

Fuu screaming jars me back to reality, and I see her on her knees again, her hands gripping side of her head. "_Stop it_! Make it stop! _Make it stop_!"

I see another image then . . . an image of a pregnant Fuu in a wedding dress . . . and a handsome boy a in a suit standing next to her that looks like a combination of Naruto and Sasuke, the boy's appearance seeming to change like a river flow every second.

Does . . . does Fuu like Sasuke or Naruto? Is that what she wants to become? The wife of my son or Mikoto's son?

Another image. I see her as a teenager, fifteen, sixteen, a Konoha forehead protector around her neck like a scarf, a freshly minted chuunin uniform donned. And she's right next to me, like . . . like we're equals . . . no, more like . . . like it's a birthday and . . .

Oh wow.

Fuu wants . . . she wants me to . . .

"Such beautiful dreams," Shinnou says. I stare at the man, and I see a dark aura beginning to form around him. "The Zero-Tails has told me much about you, Fuu. You want the woman next to you to become your family! You desire to become a loving mother, the antithesis of how your _real_ mother actually treated you! Do you _really_ think you'll get those things? You think that with how _wretched_ your existence has been you could even come _close_ to obtaining any of these lavish fantasies?"

"Stop . . ." Fuu sobs. "Stop . . ."

"Ohh," Shinnou moans in pleasure. He's clearly becoming mad with power . . . _incredible_ power judging from what I can sense. It's like all of the raw pulses are coalescing around him! "I can feel it . . . dark chakra coarsing through my veins! Thank you for this, little girl!"

That's it. I don't care about the little warning shots I've received so far. I've had enough. Shinnou's tortured this girl for the last time.

I bend down by Fuu and rub her on the shoulder. She doesn't even _look_ at me, she stares off into space, tears streaming down her cheeks, little sobs escaping her half-open mouth.

"Don't worry, Fuu," I whisper to her. "He won't hurt you like this anymore, okay? Just stay right here, it'll all be over soon."

I stand back up and look at the man. "So . . . what's your plan now? Take vengeance for Sky Country?"

"Again, your powers of deduction prove true! Exactly! But I wanted to taste the power of the elders of Sky Country! I want to become like them! Someone with the power of a king, which is what I'll be once I devastate all five great shinobi nations without a moment's warning!" Shinnou replies.

So . . . he's a genocidal maniac. Except he doesn't even have an excuse like Doto Kazahana. He's just power-hungry . . . he's been hopelessly corrupted by his pursuit of ultimate power.

I won't let him obtain that.

I raise my sword and I run right at him. I'll end him right now! "You think I'll allow that?"

That's when a massive shock wave suddenly hits me. It's like a hurricane-force wind, aimed squarely at _me_. All of a sudden, I'm in the air. My blade falls from my hand.

And then I slam right into the navy-colored metal right above the entrance back-first.

Can't breathe. I can't breathe. The wind's been knocked out on me. Damn it!

Chakra. Force chakra right to your lungs. Breathe! You need to breathe! _Now_!

Air . . . beautiful air, coming through my lungs and through my mouth. That hurt. That hurt so much.

I struggle to my feet to stare at the man. "That's just a _taste_ of dark chakra, Kushina Uzumaki!"

"Is it?" I ask. "It didn't feel like it was attacking my very soul like all of the other times."

Shinnou laughs. "I don't _want_ it to attack your soul, fool! I need a test for my power, and for you to be a good test, I need your mental facilities in order! The Zero-Tails told me you have _very_ interesting power, woman, and you'll make the _perfect_ test! A better test than the girl, at least! I'd rather not beat up a _child_. That's not behavior suitable for a _king_."

"And yet you think it's acceptable to torture her mentally," I answer. I see my ninjatou handle laying on the middle of the floor, but I don't think I'll be able to grab it yet. I'm going to have to do this with traditional memory or my own two hands.

Shinnou grins. "All I did was bring back memories she suppressed to the surface. Is that truly torture, in the end?"

"It is if she finds those memories torture," I reply.

"My, it seems that our standards for 'torture' have changed since the days I fought in battle!" Shinnou says. "But that's all right! After all of these years having to pose as a doctor, I've finally returned to the battlefield! I can bring those standards back to where they were in the elder days! And you will be the first casualty, Kushina Uzumaki!"

The dark chakra explodes around him, and his white hair begins waving around like he's caught in his own internal hurricane. "Now . . . let me show what _else_ dark chakra can do!"

Shinnou screams in pain all of a sudden. The shock waves are immense, even from this distance, it's enough to make Fuu's hair blow, though Fuu herself is nonresponsive, she's not paying a lick of attention to what's going on.

And then I hear Shinnou's bones crack, and his body begins to _grow_.

Muscles become visible under his robes as Shinnou becomes taller and taller. His upper body begins shredding the clothes apart with involuntary flexes as Shinnou's hair becomes longer and becomes black.

And his wrinkles . . . those wrinkles, those laugh lines . . . they're all _vanishing_ from his face.

Shinnou isn't just becoming stronger, he's becoming _younger_.

I've seen this before, albeit in a less dramatic fashion! My jonin-sensei, Hibino Iwasaki, has a similar technique, the Body Idealization Technique! She can return to the body she had in the prime of her life by opening several chakra gates, though the technique has a staggering price, it greatly weakens her body upon reversion, which happens when she runs out of chakra. It can take entire months for Hibino to recover completely from using the technique, and if she uses it too frequently, she risks death.

Something tells me Shinnou's transformation isn't going to have a similar drawback.

His upper body _bursts_ from the remnants of those robes, and the chakra aura settles down, and I'm staring at a man who appears to be in his late twenties or early thirties, with a long mane of dark hair. The only thing that resemble the man he once was is those golden eyes, and even though are in the firm grip of malice.

"This is the full capability of the Body Activation Technique," Shinnou says, his voice no longer aged, just rich and booming. "With this colossal body I can open all eight chakra gates, including the Gate of Death."

That's a big boast. Not even Might Guy, the taijutsu master of Konoha, can open up all eight chakra gates. Something tells me, though, that Shinnou, with that body he has now, _means_ every word.

Should I attack him with ninjutsu? Or should I test that body of his with taijutsu? I wish I knew an effective genjutsu, though I suspect genjutsu is useless here. After all, if I tried it, I'm sure Shinnou would just stuff bad memories into my head the way he did with Fuu . . . and spread my bad memories, and my wishes, to Fuu as well, just like what happened with her memories and wishes entering _my_ head.

Damn that man. What he just did to Fuu was unimaginably cruel. And he can do the same thing to me at any moment. He knows all about _me_ too, not just about Fuu.

"What's the matter? Scared of me? Contemplating surrender?" Shinnou asks. "I don't blame you! You don't stand a chance against me, Kushina Uzumaki! You will lose no matter what you do!"

Okay . . . I have a strategy. He's clearly underestimating me, and he overestimates _himself_. He's been off the battlefield for far too long, even with a body primed with power it's not like he'll magically regain his fighting form. He doesn't know that I too have super-strength, which will help me injure him if I can land a blow. Just because I don't have huge muscles like he's obtained doesn't mean I'm not strong.

I'll use a combination of ninjutsu and taijutsu, switching between them depending on his movements and his counters. I'll use every tactic in my arsenal without hesitation. And . . . if he pulls something on me mentally, I . . . I'll just have to ignore it, or break it somehow like I break all killing intent being sent my way.

And . . . if I can somehow regain the Habanero Ninjatou, currently lying on the ground, that'll just make my list of options complete.

I take one last look at Fuu before I set myself. I wish there was something I could do for the girl right now . . . say or do anything that can comfort her. What she wishes for me to be . . . is beyond anything I ever expected from the girl. For her to be . . . to be contemplating defecting to Konoha just because of _me_ . . . says a lot for what she thinks of me.

Well then, I can't let her down.

I draw a kunai and shuriken and set myself. "You're wrong, Shinnou. I'm not going to surrender. Especially not to the likes of you. I've got too many people who need me, who count on me, and even if I did not, there's no way in _hell_ I'll let you have your desires come true. If you truly did take a look at my memories, at my soul, you should know there is one truth about me."

"Oh?" Shinnou asks, folding his arms contemptuously. "And what is that?"

"That I will not give up, not until the very end," I say. "And you, without question, can _count on it_!"

That's it. No more words. Just action. Rush him like it's a frontal assault, but instead it's just the beginning of my strategy.

I channel my chakra to my legs and feet, throughout my entire body, enhancing my speed and strength. It's not his precious Body Activation Technique or even my sensei's Body Idealization Technique, but I don't need that kind of vanity! I never have and never will!

I take off, charging right for him.

It's time he learned about me the hard way.

By me kicking his overconfident, self-important _ass_.

* * *

The next chapter is the longest chapter in the whole story. It's also one of the most important ones. I hope the next chapter doesn't let you guys down.


	52. Heaven-Shaking Event

Well, here it is, the longest chapter in the story. Hope you like it.

* * *

**Chapter Fifty-Two: Heaven-Shaking Event**

I charge him, watching where he moves. He just _stands_ there, waiting for me to come to him, that vicious little grin still etched on his face.

Does he _want_ me to strike him?

I'm too close. He's calling my bluff. I have no choice but to follow through!

I try to slice him with my kunai and he . . . he _vanishes_.

Behind me!

I spin and throw my shuriken, only to see nothing but air behind me.

And then I hear a voice behind me. "I've opened up seven chakra gates. You'll have to do better than that."

I spin back around to slash him only to strike more air. And then a force _crashes_ into my back and I'm on the ground, a fierce, sharp pain in my mouth and face in addition to my back.

I spit out blood. Great. I bit my tongue.

I turn to look at him to see his foot about to kick me in the stomach.

The world becomes incomprehensible, falling here, there, _everywhere_, as I slide into something thick and hard, feels like stone.

How . . . how did he just do that?

Get up. Get up and fight him. He hasn't fought a real battle for decades, he admitted it so himself! I should be able to beat him, regardless of how many chakra gates he's opened!

That's when he appears in front of me, a blur that's taken physical shape. "Now you're learning what the opponents of Sky Country learned in the Second Shinobi World War."

I get up on my feet and try to uppercut him, but he steps aside and I miss. Instead I feel his massive fist crash right into my gut, knocking the wind out of me _again_.

Damn it . . . force some chakra into those lungs . . .

A force across my neck. I'm back on the ground. Still can't breathe.

"Did that hurt? Sorry, I'm still getting used to this _incredible_ strength," Shinnou chuckles.

He kicks me in the ribs and all of a sudden, before I can make sense of the world or the pain I'm feeling, I'm on the other side of the room, laying against more rubble.

I feel the beast's chakra inside me rush through me, and my pain begins to fade away. I don't know whether the Nine-Tails is acting as painkiller or healer, but the assistance is appreciated.

_He's toying with you, woman. Get up and kill him. He's not the true opponent._

Easier said than done, beast.

Shinnou walks back to his throne and I see him have the gall to _sit down_ on it. He casually folds one leg on top of the other, and seems to study me. "I expected more out of you, Kushina Uzumaki. You share the clan name of _Mito_ Uzumaki, after all."

"You know Mito, then," I say.

Shinnou smiles. "She almost killed me in the war."

"She did, huh?" I don't remember Mito as being anything other than a tired, elderly woman. I only knew her for a brief time when I was a young child before she died and the Nine-Tails was passed on to me.

"Things were different for you, Kushina Uzumaki. But back in those days, women didn't fight. Kunoichi were a mere _formality_. Guess who changed that? Sky Country," Shinnou says.

He raises an eyebrow as I force myself to stand, as if curious why I would. "Sky Country didn't have enough of a population to only have men fight. The women needed to fight as well. And that meant several women had to partake in dark chakra infusions just like the men . . . just like _me_."

His smile grows wider. "Fascinating how perceptions change when women stronger than any man in the Five Great Nations are slaughtering shinobi and samurai on the battlefield, Kushina Uzumaki."

"From the sounds of it, you make it seem like we didn't stand a chance at all," I reply. I wipe my mouth and still find blood. My tongue is still stinging, so the blood has to be coming from there.

I wipe the blood on my flak vest, which is crunched up but still functioning. "But obviously, we won and your people didn't."

"You didn't stand a chance. But then Konoha unleashed Mito Uzumaki," Shinnou replies. "A _woman_."

"And what, she killed all of you?" I ask.

"Not at first. She led a detachment of women she trained personally, the only female regiment in the entire combined army facing us," Shinnou replies. "But then we made her _angry_. And then she became something fierce . . . beautiful . . . enormously powerful beyond anything any of us had ever seen."

Now it makes sense. "She transformed into the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. The very same demon I carry inside me."

"I don't know what we did to trigger that transformation. All I saw was the beast's energy swirling around her and all of a sudden . . . carnage. Nothing but unmitigated, unstoppabl e_carnage_. I only survived by hiding under the bodies of my two closest friends, who were reduced to burned, boiling corpses."

The condescending smile's gone. He's completely serious now, even _angry_. "Not even our strongest fighters, infused with dark chakra, could stop Mito Uzumaki. All they seemed to do was make the creature she had become more and more enraged. And . . . for the first time . . . we _all_ felt despair. Instead of using the anger and despair of our enemies against them . . . our own anger and despair wound up destroying us. I sensed it all as our leaders' despair caused them to lose control of the Zero-Tails and the Zero-Tails, enslaved for so long . . . wasn't pleased."

The smile returns, and he chuckles softly in this edgy way, like he's barely holding onto his sanity. "Poof. The palace, _everything_. Just broke apart and came crashing down. Our remaining forces, leaderless and powerless, were shattered. And days later, I saw Mito Uzumaki, returned to human form, cast a seal upon the ruins of Ancor Vantian, a seal that took me _decades_ to learn how to break."

The seal I had seen on the entrance. That was _Mito's_ seal? Does that mean that the seal I had seen in the Land of Snow . . . was that Mito's too?

"It's been interesting to watch how quickly women have become valued warriors across this land," Shinnou says. "All it takes is losing too many sons to my country's daughters, so you have to send _your_ daughters, and one of those daughters winds up being responsible for saving the entire land. Your daughters automatically become every bit as acceptable as your sons on the battlefield."

He chuckles bitterly. "Along with using the remnants of our own technology with only the scarcest understandings of how they work."

This has been an interesting story, but while he was talking, I've almost recovered from my injuries. This tendency of his to ramble on and on and _on_ will be his undoing. "You realize all it takes is _you_ feeling despair at my hands to lose control of the Zero-Tails, don't you?"

Shinnou outrights laughs uncontrollably without any warning. He holds his sides, he's laughing so hard. He looks at me, barely able to hold himself together. "You don't get it! The difference between me and Sky Country's rulers is that I _don't care_!"

"You don't?" I ask. I never expected that answer from him. I expected something passionate, reveal something that _matters_ to him. Not _I don't care_. Never _I don't care_.

"My victory's inevitable whether I live or die, Kushina Uzumaki," Shinnou replies. "Either I rule all, or you slay me and the Zero-Tails is set free, and it destroys _all_ of you. Either way, I win and you lose."

He begins laughing again. I've had enough of his insipid, wild laughter. He makes me sick. I charge the chakra in my left arm. I'm going to give him a wake-up call he'll never forget before I kill him.

I take one last look at Fuu. She's still on her hands and knees, staring off into space. She's still lost in traumatic memories, unable to shake them off.

That's okay. I'll bring her back to real world once I remove _this_ bastard from it. And then . . . somehow, some way, I have to destroy the Zero-Tails. I don't know how I can, not without letting the Nine-Tails inside me have complete control, but . . .

Wait.

Now I know why the Nine-Tails has been so cooperative and helpful with its healing energies. It wants . . .

_I know_.

Damn it . . .

I'll worry about that later! First . . .

I charge him full speed. He sees me coming, but there's no way he'll be able to get out of the way in time. I'm coming too fast and he's still sitting down!

"Let's go with option number three!" I shout as I aim right for Shinnou's nose.

He vanishes just as I'm about to hit him.

_Crash_.

So much pain. Pain . . . pain _everywhere_. My left hand feels like it's been _crushed_, and it's shooting up my trembling left arm.

I can't believe it.

I've slammed my left fist right into his throne. I've made the stone crack, but that means _nothing_. I've crushed my left hand, breaking several bones, and the pain is so great . . . so great that . . .

I can faintly feel the tears spilling from my eyes and down my cheeks. It feels like my left hand has been so thoroughly _mangled_ that . . . that . . .

A footfall behind me. "Now you had to go and break my throne. I'm gonna have to pay you back for that."

The familiar sound of cracking knuckles. "This is gonna hurt."

It feels like every nerve ending in my head is being yanked out of me. Like he's trying to pull my brain out of my skull. It's only when he seizes me that I realize he had pulled me by my hair.

"You ninja have become so sloppy . . . bringing long hair to war," Shinnou sighs as he looks at me right in the eye.

Damn it. I'm not out of tricks yet!

I charge the energy in my right hand on its own, and concentrating on forming the sphere . . . Minato's sphere.

Fight through the pain, Kushina. Your left hand may be out of commission, but there was a reason why you struck with your _weak_ hand.

This is why. Minato's attack . . . his ultimate attack, that he never finished . . .

I can still use it.

Fight through it. The pain, the staggering pain. Concentrate the chakra into your right hand. Blend it together, make it a perfect sphere of power.

Make Minato proud.

"What's this?" Shinnou asks.

"Your death," I reply as I feel the sphere coalesce into its final shape.

I slam the sphere right into his abdomen. "_Rasengan_!"

He's launched from the room and he crashes to the ground, sliding at the foot of the cracked throne. I run up to him and jump into the air, and I begin charging the Rasengan again. I'm going to aim this right for his head. It doesn't look like I killed him, or even hurt him that badly, with the Rasengan I launched earlier, but a blow to the head is _much_ different than the gut.

Let's see him survive _this_!

But then he rolls out of the way, and I stop charging my attack and wasting the chakra. I turn to see his elbow coming for my head.

Darkness.

Then stars flickering across my vision.

More pain.

Feels like something is sloshing in my head.

What happened?

So blurry.

Is that . . . is that the ceiling I'm looking at?

My body feels like this massive bruise. Like I've been hit everywhere.

I try to get up, and then I see Shinnou crouching next to me.

"You are _not_ Mito Uzumaki," he says.

Another blow to my head. I feel my body hit something as I slide across the floor. I struggle to get up, and I see the Habanero Ninjatou's handle.

Come on, Kushina. You still have a chance. It doesn't matter how much he's hit you. You did some damage to him. That's what counts.

I look at him, to see his muscles from where I blasted him contorting and rotating. Like he's . . . he's . . .

_Healing_.

My vision must be seriously messed up. I can't believe my eyes, and just to try to fathom what I'm seeing is like stumbling through this invisible fog.

How? How is this possible? I'm amazed he's still standing, much less able to thrash me in a matter of seconds! How can he . . .

"Now you're learning the power of dark chakra . . . what makes the risks of the Zero-Tails so ultimately _worth it_," Shinnou says.

"_Shut up_!" I know that shriek anywhere. It's . . .

I see Fuu charging in with her Water Slicing Blade. She's finally come to her senses. And she is making a beeline right for-

Shinnou suddenly turns and dodges the blow. He slams Fuu in the gut, and I see spit fly out of her mouth as she gags. Before she can recover, he grabs her by the head. He looks at her with . . . disdain? Pity? Some combination thereof?

"I will be killing many children," Shinnou says. "And I will be starting with _you_. But this isn't how I want to end your life."

He throws her aside like a doll being cast aside. I hear Fuu cry out as she slams into something, followed by a pulse of dark chakra emanating from Shinnou, heading in Fuu's direction.

"That little wave of dark chakra will make sure she doesn't interfere again," Shinnou says. "Not until I'm finished with you."

Damn you. How dare you do that to Fuu. Make her suffer just because you find her _in the way_. Pathetic. Not just vicious and cruel . . . _pathetic_ to the core!

Why can't I do anything about it? Why?

He grins as he walks over to me. I reach for the Habanero Ninjatou's handle behind my back and grab it. Even though the pain is excruciating, I'm going to have to use my left hand to fill the chakra in the handle so I can put Shinnou in his place, once and for all.

"I think I'll show the girl what is _truly_ means to be tortured," Shinnou says. "Not like the current standards of Konoha or any of the other ninja villages. I _know_ torture. I _was_ tortured. My whole life, my whole appearance, has been nothing but a mask for how I truly look underneath."

So Shinnou's real appearance, well, at least until this transformation, is likely hideous. Somehow that's fitting for a man like him.

But then I feel a flash of power erupt behind Shinnou, and the giant man spins around. "What the-"

It's Fuu. Wings have sprouted from her, and her eyes are a vivid gold. "Stay away from my _nakama_!"

There's no Water Slicing Blade, no tricks. Just Fuu and her fists against Shinnou. She flies right towards him like a bullet fired from a teppou, and slams into him so hard I can hear the _thump_ echo from the walls.

And he barely budges.

He caught her with his bare hands.

"So _this_ is your power as jinchuuriki," Shinnou says.

Fuu's voice is harsh and raspy. "Stop mocking me! What the heck is wrong with you?"

Shinnou sighs. "Nothing makes you curse, does it, child? No matter how angry you get."

He leans in to her. Even though his voice drops to a whisper, I can still hear him from here. "What's the matter? Afraid you'll be sent to hell?"

"_Shut up_! You don't know anything!" Fuu snarls, struggling to break free of Shinnou but the man is clearly too strong, even for a transformed Fuu.

"I do know," Shinnou says. "All too well."

I force myself to stand up, despite my quivering legs and this sense that my brain is going to leak out of my ears and splatter on the ground. I can't tolerate this anymore. He can thrash me around all he wants, he has issues with Mito Uzumaki. He has an excuse to attack me. But he has no excuse for what he's doing to Fuu. None at all.

I bring the Habanero Ninjatou in front of me and slam my left palm against the bottom of the handle. I bite back a cry from pain and force the chakra to flow from my shattered hand into the blade, and it ignites to life.

This blade was the death of Youko Ochiai. I don't think Shinnou, for all of his power, can survive a stab from a sword of fire.

Minato will save my life and Fuu's life, however indirectly.

I take the flaming sword and lunge at him, staggering to my feet as I do, but Shinnou sees it coming. I must be moving slower than I think, or he's just plain faster than my senses will allow me to track. Perhaps both. I can't shake the sensation of something heavy moving around in my head.

I can only hold the blade with one hand, but it's a ninjatou. It can be wielded either way. I force my exhausted, trembling legs to _run_. I'll spear him and set him alight and then calm Fuu down and everything will be all better . . . for however brief it is before the Zero-Tails decides to finish the job.

Shinnou sees me coming. He takes Fuu and _throws_ her at me like he's chucking a ball. I can't block it, not with a wrecked left hand and a flaming sword. Fuu slams into my chest and the world's spinning again, and I feel my sword slip from my grasp.

And then the ground. And then more pain. And then the feeling I want to throw up due to the Nine-Tails' disgust over the chakra of Choumei flowing from Fuu.

Fuu is moaning in pain on top of me, and I slowly roll her off of me.

I see Shinnou bend down and hold the Habanero Ninjatou in his giant left hand.

I can barely think. Everything hurts, especially my left hand and my head.

Focus, Kushina. You have to focus.

He has it. Minato's blade.

His gift to me.

He's studying it with his eyes.

He then looks at me, and smiles. "I saw this via the Zero-Tails. Your husband's little gift to you, isn't it?"

All of a sudden, the handle is _crushed_ in his left hand, with scarcely any exertion. I see it shatter into several pieces, and the blade of fire goes out like a light.

It's gone.

Minato . . . Minato's gift to me . . . his instrument of protecting me and Naruto . . .

It's _gone_. Shattered into pieces.

No.

He . . . he meant it for . . .

Damn him!

How dare he take away the one thing of my husband's that . . . that . . .

That was Minato's heart and soul in that sword!

And he just crushed it like . . .

Shake it off! You have to shake it off! Get up! Chakra Chain him and then blast him with the Rasengan! That's what you have to do!

"Chakra Chains Technique!" I scream as I bring four chains to life. I'll tie the bastard up and then blast him over and over and _over_ until he can't take it anymore!

"What, no words of grief for that sword? It was clearly precious to you," Shinnou says.

I am getting really sick and tired of your voice. How about I use these chains to slice you right through your mouth? Let's see you talk then!

I aim one chain for his head and he steps aside and lets it fly past him. I aim two others to wrap around him but he leaps over them. I pull the first chain back and send it flying at him from behind but he twists away from it, and it barely touches him as it flies past him.

He lands on the ground and charges right at me.

One chain left that is in a usable position. I take it and throw the sharp end right at his gut, but Shinnou just takes his left hand and lets the chain spear him there without breaking stride or even grunting in pain.

His right fist, he's . . .

No air.

No air.

No breath of life.

He's slammed me full force in my abdomen.

My chakra chains vanish and his bleeding left hand catches me before I can fall to the ground. His right hand begins focusing dark chakra below my chest, and I can see the dark chakra coalesce into a rotating sphere with a pair of dark rings vibrating around it.

"Not bad, you forced me to take a hit from you. Too bad I have the perfect body," Shinnou says. "My Body Activation Technique is derived from how a muscle gets stronger. The more abuse I take the stronger I become. And I've opened up seven chakra gates, Kushina Uzumaki. My body is is always healing, always getting stronger. It is, without a doubt, the _perfect_ body."

He chuckles. "And that means that I can use my ultimate attack . . . Super Activation Fist."

And then the dark ringed sphere slams right into my chest.

And the next thing I know, both Shinnou and Fuu are just dots on the ground, and I'm . . . I'm . . .

I can't breathe, I can see the remnants of my flak vest fall to the ground . . . .

And I'm falling off the ceiling.

Crashing down towards rubble.

Is this it?

Just like that?

Am I going to . . .

The rubble accelerates towards me, and then . . .

Darkness.

* * *

_A golden haze appears around me._

_Is this . . . is this a Minato vision? Now? Why?_

_But I don't see Minato anywhere._

_Am I dead? Is this heaven?_

_If it is . . . that means I . . ._

_I failed._

_I failed everything and everyone. I failed Naruto. I failed myself._

_I promised Naruto . . . I promised him I would watch him become Hokage. I promised him that I wasn't going anywhere. I promised him I would be there during the Chuunin Exams, to see him demonstrate how strong he's becoming._

_I promised him I would be his mother._

_And . . . I just broke it. All of my promises . . ._

_Just because I wasn't . . . I wasn't . . ._

_I wasn't strong enough to beat a pathetic, evil man like Shinnou?_

_I truly do deserve to be dead if I couldn't even beat Shinnou. My poor son. I can't believe I failed him so badly. He's going to hate me for abandoning him. He's going to curse my name . . . whether in the world or when he comes to heaven because Shinnou kills everyone with the Zero-Tails._

_Minato . . . I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. All I've done is . . ._

_Hands. A pair of warm, familiar hands, wrapping themselves around my chest from behind me._

_What is this?_

_I recognize the sleeves. I recognize the white cloak around those sleeves. A Hokage's cloak._

_I recognize his touch . . . even after all of these years . . . and even without looking around, without hearing his voice, I know who it is . . ._

_"Minato." My love._

Kushina.

_He's talking to me. He's really talking to me this time. "Minato . . . I'm sorry. I . . . I failed . . ."_

You haven't failed, Kushina.

_His voice, so warm, so calm, so ethereal. So understanding. So comforting and yet his voice just makes me want to _scream.

_"How . . . how haven't I failed, Minato? I lost. I couldn't even make your attack, your Rasengan, work on him . . . and he just broke the sword you made for me. It's gone, just . . . just dust crumbled on the ground. I left Naruto behind . . . I left Fuu behind . . ."_

Don't talk like that, Kushina. It's all right.

_Minato . . . I know you're trying to make me feel better, but . . ._

_"It's not all right! All I've done since you died is mess everything up! I abandoned our child, Minato! Abandoned him for eight whole years! I attacked the village you led and vowed to protect! Everyone hates me and nothing I say or do can ever make it right! I'm sure that everyone thinks things will be better if I'm dead!"_

_His grip becomes tighter, and I feel his head rest upon my shoulder. I want to look, I want to see his face, but I'm afraid that if I do he'll vanish into the golden haze like he was never there at all._

I don't think so. I know the world is better off with you alive.

_Oh, Minato. Of course he'd say _that_._

_"What do I have to live for, Minato? Who's better off with me alive?"_

That's a silly question, Kushina. Naruto, for one. You have paid attention to how happy he is with you there in his life? He loves you so much, Kushina.

_Naruto forgives too easily, Minato. He's just happy to be loved at all._

But it's not just Naruto, Kushina. You have all of Konoha to live for.

_What's this now? "You really think so, Minato?"_

Kushina, you survived that night for a reason. I am sure that reason is to protect Konoha from the troubles that are coming . . . and to make sure Naruto is ready to face these turbulent times the strongest he can possibly be.

_"Konoha could care less about me, Minato. Many of them . . . many of them hate me. They wish I'd go away."_

You need to become part of the village again, Kushina. You fight for the village but you don't try to make yourself part of Konoha. Don't hide from them anymore. Don't hide in fear. Face Konoha and make everything right the best you can. Acceptance may take a while to come by, but if you keep trying, and do not let despair control you, you will eventually win their trust back.

_One of his hands reaches up and begins rubbing my cheek, which I realize is soaked in tears. My hands reach up and grip his strong, firm, gentle hand, and I can't help but cry even more. His touch is something I never realized I missed so much until I felt it again._

Kushina, you need to stay strong. The time will come when we can meet again. But our time to be together again isn't going to be for a long while. You need to be strong and _live_. Genuinely live, for every one and everything you care about, and everything you will soon care about too.

_"Minato . . ." I get the feeling he's going to leave me soon. I don't want him to go. This is the warmest, the safest I've felt in twelve years._

_"I love you," I manage. "I love you so much."_

I love you too, Kushina.

_His hands leave from around my chest but I quickly feel them on my shoulder blades. He rubs them softly, and I just want to turn around and hug him, but . . . but I know he's right. Facing him right now isn't what I should do right now. I can sense it. The time isn't right yet._

You need to go now, Kushina. There's a girl who just saw you fall. She is fighting for you but she is not strong enough to survive without you helping her.

_"I . . . I know, Minato. I just . . . I just don't know what to do."_

Shinnou is yet another trial for you to overcome. And I know you will overcome it, because you don't give up. You never have.

_I feel a small smile come across my face. "And I never will, Minato. Count on it."_

_I hear him chuckle behind me. How long it's been since I heard that laugh of his. I almost feel like a young girl again, a young girl who just realized she's in love with an amazing boy._

I certainly will, Kushina.

_His hands give me a gentle push. I seem to float in the haze, like I'm rising out of water to the surface._

I will see you again when the time is right, Kushina. Just remember I will always love you, no matter what you do. Now go on and live your life. Make your life the best it can possibly be. And tell Naruto . . . tell Naruto that I'm proud of him, that I always will be, no matter what he accomplishes.

_The golden haze is brightening to solid white. Wherever I am, I'm leaving it. I'm going to wake up._

_"I will, Minato," I say, as the golden haze vanishes to a flash of a blinding white light. "I promise."_

_I'm returning to life._

* * *

I wake up to stare at the metallic navy blue-colored ceiling.

Ow.

I feel like a giant bruise. But that's better than how I felt before I was hit with that Super Activation Fist of Shinnou's. Looks like the Nine-Tails's chakra has been going above and beyond trying to heal my physical injuries, I can even move my left hand and open and close it, with only a small amount of pain.

Now it makes sense. Why Minato never said a word to me, why he would always send me back into the world. He was telling me the entire time that _this_ is where I belong. Right here, in the world of the living, where there's people who I care about, who care about me. There's a whole village under my protection, and if I die here, who's going to keep Konoha safe?

My flak vest is gone, the Super Activation Fist had shredded it apart, which means I've lost all of my equipment. My jonin uniform is highly damaged, with rips and tears everywhere. The braid I had kept my hair in is also long gone, my hair is long and untamed.

None of that matters. What matters is that I need to get up. Now.

Get up, Kushina.

Get that chakra flowing through your body. Time to get up. There's somebody who needs you right this very second.

There's people who need you back home. People who need you to stop this madman and his horrific abomination he calls a Tailed Beast.

You're fighting for them. All of them, even those who hate you. You are their protector. That's why . . .

You have to _get up_.

Get on your feet!

You are Kushina Uzumaki, S-ranked jonin, jinchuuriki, and mother of Naruto Uzumaki! This will not be where you die!

I get up off the rubble, and force myself to stay on my feet instead of collapsing face down. I look out on the battlefield in front of me, and I see it. Fuu flying around Shinnou, trying to hurt him, but Shinnou's just too fast for Fuu. He's strong and quick, a deadly combination, and I don't know how much more punishment Fuu can take.

I promised that girl she'd have a happy life. I don't break my promises to _anybody_.

That's one thing Minato just reminded me of. I never give up. _Never_.

I walk towards the battle in the center of the room, with Fuu trying to claw at Shinnou, and the giant man dodging the attacks. He doesn't look amused by Fuu's attacks. In fact, it looks like Fuu's wounded him a little, there's cuts on his body.

Shinnou looks serious. _Murderous_. He's had enough of Fuu, and he isn't going to toy with her anymore.

He grabs Fuu and slams her into the floor. "Your resistance, while admirable, is fruitless. You're just a child, and I've attained a body fit for a _king_. No amount of a jinchuuriki's power will be enough to dethrone me."

I sprint forward right towards him as fast as I can. My left hand, while it feels much better than it did before, still feels ginger, so I concentrate all my power into my right hand.

And then I punch him full-force in the side of his face.

He flies across the room and crashes right through the rubble and into the wall, and is stuck in the indentation.

"You think you're a king?" I ask. "I think you're _nothing_!"

I've heard enough from this man and I've taken enough punishment. He and his delusions of psychotic grandeur can go to hell!

As he struggles to get out of his indentation, I right right up to him, taking advantage of the trail his flying body had cleared for me and I hit him again. And again. And again.

"You're nothing but a psychotic old man obsessed with his overgrown muscles!" I grab him by his shoulders and hurl him up into the air.

I leap into the air after him, take both of my hands, fold them together, and slam both of them on the top of Shinnou's head, and then bring up my knee so Shinnou's head comes down directly upon it. THere's a sickening _crunch_, a sound I recognize as teeth breaking.

I spin in the air and kick him with my left leg, sending Shinnou spiraling to the ground to my left, and he plows right into the ground on his backside, bouncing off the middle of the floor and coming to a rest right in front of the damaged turquoise throne.

I gather some of the remaining chakra I have and pool it into my right hand. "And all you can think of doing with your power is forcing it upon us! That's something I will not _tolerate_!"

As he gets up, swaying, I'm already on top of him. "_Rasengan_!"

There's something immensely satisfying about seeing him go spiraling through the air, crash through that throne, shattering it into pieces.

I jump upon the remnant of the broken throne and see Shinnou lying in rubble, looking dazed. I'm beating him. I'm actually beating him!

"How . . . how can you . . ." Shinnou moans from the rubble.

I'm not going to respond to him with words. Just with every fiber of my being. "Chakra Chains Technique!"

I seize Shinnou with all four chains and pull him right to me. "You do _not_ control me. Not you, not the Zero-Tails, and most of all, not your stupid _dark chakra_!"

I release Shinnou from the chains just to slam him right to the ground. I hold him with my left hand and charge my chakra in my right, forming Minato's sphere of power once again. The Rasengan isn't enough to kill Shinnou by itself, but combined with everything else I've done, it just adds more damage. Damage that will eventually take its toll.

An idea comes to mind in that moment, with Shinnou pinned down, and the Rasengan forming in my right hand.

Perhaps there is a way to kill this so-called "perfect body" with what Minato left for me. I may not have the sword he made for me anymore, but I still have Minato's ultimate attack! And that's something Shinnou will never take away from me!

As long as I have the Rasengan, Minato will always be with me! He will never be part of the living again, but he'll be with me . . . he'll be with me as long as I live.

I slam my right hand into Shinnou, but I don't drive the Rasengan into his body yet. I just use the Rasengan to hold him in place while I free my left hand and begin gyrating my chakra with it!

"You're an idiot!" Shinnou snarls in agonized pain. "Your 'Rasengan' isn't enough to kill me! Hitting me over and over with it isn't going to change that!"

"Maybe not one Rasengan . . . but maybe the force of _two_ combined together!" I shout.

I form the sphere in my left hand. It's wobbling, barely within control, but my left hand is able to keep the sphere more or less together.

Shinnou's eyes widen. "No . . . impossible!"

"I can't do very much with my left hand's Rasengan," I reply. "I can't even take a single step with it without it falling from my hand and causing a massive explosion. But I don't think I need to take one step with it here. Do you agree?"

Shinnou, finally, mercifully, is speechless. His horrified eyes tell me everything I need to know.

I take my left hand's Rasengan and combined it with my right hand's Rasengan, forming a giant sphere of power that's twice as strong as anything I've hit Shinnou with! It rotates on Shinnou's body, and while Shinnou's body is desperately trying to heal all of the damage I'm giving to him just by holding the sphere on top of him, it's not enough.

"_Double Rasengan_!"

I force the giant sphere right into his body.

Shinnou lets out a deafening roar of pain as the enlarged Rasengan blasts him right through the floor, driving him down so deep that he and my Rasengan falls out of sight. The backlash from the blow sends me high into the air, but I flip in mid-air and land on the destroyed throne, which has basically been reduced to a crumbling block after all of the abuse it's taken.

All that's left is a giant hole in the floor.

And I am really, _really_ tired.

I fall on my knees. It's just occurred to me that i'm _really_ out of breath. I went completely, utterly, all-out on Shinnou, without holding back even one tiny bit. My body's aching, and I seem to be developing a headache. I must have had a concussion though the Nine-Tails' energies are mitigating that, otherwise there's no way I would've just pulled all of that off.

"Ms. Uzumaki!" Fuu's voice. And it doesn't sound raspy.

I turn, and I see Fuu. She looks as beaten up as I feel, but she's managing a smile. "Hi, Fuu."

"That was like the most awesome beatdown I've ever seen in my life," Fuu says, grinning widely.

"I hope that it's enough to finish him off. I don't think either of us are in any condition to take him on again." I stand up then, and my legs are quivering. This took up a lot of energy, energy I needed for the Zero-Tails. And if I've really killed Shinnou, that means the Zero-Tails is free of Shinnou's control, and all hell could break loose any second.

_You know the only chance you have is to surrender control to me, woman._

Shut up, beast. There's another way. I know it.

_Your predecessor couldn't find another way._

I'm not Mito. I _will_ find another way.

_You're right. You're not Mito. You are much more foolish than she ever was._

I am getting _really_ sick of these conversations.

Then I feel it. Dark power cascading throughout the air. So enough it seems to make the whole palace shake.

"What's this?" Fuu asks.

"Has to be the Zero-Tails. Guess I really _did_ kill Shinnou," I say.

I don't have any weapons, any equipment. Just my bare hands and my remaining chakra. What am I doing to do?

Right by where Shinnou had been plowed into the floor, an explosion of dark chakra erupts, and I see Shinnou, his body more hulking than ever, blasting out of the floor and land right in front of me, a visible dark aura pulsating around him.

"He's not dead?" Fuu shrieks.

Impossible. I had hit him with everything I had! How is he not dead?

His muscles are contorting, rotating, bulging. It looks like his pants are on the verge of coming apart like his upper-body clothing had, he's become so massive.

His voice is so deep it's borderline monstrous. "That's it! No more holding back! I will make you relive all of your worst memories before I turn the two of you into bloodstains on the floor!"

The aura grows stronger and fiercer. "I've opened up all eight chakra gates now! The power of the Gate of Death is in my hands! Neither of you-"

Suddenly, the aura vanishes, and Shinnou staggers, gagging.

It takes me a moment to see thin senbon sticking out of various corners of his body.

As Shinnou staggers around, his body bulging and shrinking in unnatural ways, more senbon hit him. It takes me a moment to see that each senbon is perfectly placed to hit him in his chakra points, particular where the Eight Inner Chakra Gates are all located.

Finally, three final senbon strike him around the heart and Shinnou falls on his back, writhing as his body shrinks . . . and ages. Ages horribly.

His hair falls out in clumps, and his muscles wither away. Deep creases appear under his eyes, and his skin takes on a gray, clammy appearance. It's not long before he is reduced to just skin and bones, and has become so short that he'd be lucky to not have Fuu tower over him.

This isn't just him returning to his normal appearance. This is the ultimate chakra backfire. It's eaten away at him. And dark chakra seems to be even more punishing than normal chakra.

I hear a footfall from my left, and then I see her.

"Mikoto!"

Mikoto Uchiha. My best friend. Compared to me and Fuu, she looks fresh, like she doesn't have a single scratch on her.

She gives me the faintest of smiles. "Sorry it took me so long, Kushina. It helped that you literally made the entire palace shake just a moment ago."

Shinnou, now looking every bit as pathetic as he truly is, staggers to his bony feet. His voice is a gasping remnant of its former self. "How . . . how did you . . ."

"Kushina Uzumaki has a sensei named Hibino Iwasaki who has an ability similar to yours," Mikoto replies. "She has the exact same weakness as you. Choke off her chakra points and her strength and youthful vigor vanishes. However, Hibino Iwasaki never makes the mistake of opening up so many chakra gates all at once. She only opens up one chakra gate at a time, so if you choke off her chakra, she just opens up another gate, and uses the fresh chakra to restore her old chakra points to normal."

Mikoto pulls out a kunai. "You may be an old man, but you do not have the wisdom to use your power properly. You will die here."

Shinnou stares and Mikoto, and then he smiles. And then he begins chuckling. And then he rears back and begins a wheezy, crazed laugh that just seems without end.

Even Mikoto seems taken aback, her dark eyes widen, just a little.

"You're a fool!" Shinnou says. "Even with my chakra points choked off, I can still use the Zero-Tails' chakra! And you are more psychologically damaged than Kushina Uzumaki and the girl put together! One glimpse into your memories and you're on your knees!"

"Try it," Mikoto hisses, her knees crouching as she prepares to sprint to Shinnou.

"I will!" Shinnou shouts.

Then I feel a dark pulse surround us all . . . and the room goes away.

* * *

_What is this? Where am I? Why is it so . . . so dark? So blurry? Like I'm crying?_

_"You've done well to retain your mind, Mother." _

_That voice. Young, but deep. Why does this . . . _

_My hands. These are not my hands. My hands are rougher, bigger than these dainty things._

_And my body is not moving of my own will. _

_Suddenly, I am staring into the dark eyes of a young Uchiha, his face startlingly handsome. He looks almost like a . . . like a _male Mikoto_. _

_No way . . . could this be? _

_I hear a soft, choked voice escape from what seems to be the body I'm in. "I-Itachi." _

_This . . . this is Itachi. Itachi Uchiha. Mikoto's son. _

_The boy who slaughtered an entire clan. _

_The boy walks up me, to _Mikoto_, and puts a kunai in these tiny, shaking hands. "You say . . . you say you are more suitable than Sasuke. Prove it to me." _

_Suddenly, without me having any conscious control over it all, I turn to my left, and I see another man with long dark hair, his mouth hanging slightly open, his dark eyes staring into space with a hint of horror upon them. _

_He looks familiar, but I can't place him before the vision blurs again. I have the faint sense of tears pouring down these cheeks that are not my own._

_These hands . . . these small, dainty hands . . . they're shaking so much they can barely keep their grip on the kunai handle. More than once, they jerk right towards my throat, like I'm going to commit suicide, but I stop just short. _

_That deep, youthful voice speaks again over the whimpers of Mikoto Uchiha. "You only have a few minutes before Sasuke dies because of your request, Mother. This man is dead regardless of what you do. If you can't act, you will die, and Sasuke . . . Sasuke will regain his place in my plan. If you act too late, Sasuke will die, and then your reason for this will cease to exist." _

_"I-Itachi . . . I . . ." _

_"You asked for this, Mother. Now you must live with the consequences." _

_The kunai is raised in these small, trembling hands, shaking so much I think the kunai is going to slip right out of them. _

_Itachi's voice one final time. "Kill him." _

_And then I'm charging forward, a sobbing shriek escaping my mouth, and my vision clears. I recognize the man as I come closer and closer. I realize . . . I realize . . . _

_That . . ._

* * *

The vision shatters in front of my eyes, and the first thing I see is Shinnou's withered throat sliced open in front of my eyes, red blood oozing from the wound.

Shinnou grabs his throat and gags, and he falls backward onto the ground.

He's . . .

I turn to the right, and I see Mikoto Uchiha, her face turned away from Fuu and I.

"What did . . . what did we just see?" Fuu whispers softly.

"You saw it too?" I ask.

"What's going on?" Fuu whispers.

Mikoto's voice tries to come out strong, but I can hear the trembling in her tone, like she's about to come apart like unraveling fabric. "That memory . . . is endlessly replayed in my mind every single day. I've _almost_ gotten used to it, if that's possible. It's not enough to stop me, Shinnou."

I can't take my eyes off of Mikoto. What I just saw is . . . is . . . "Mikoto . . . what did we just see?"

Mikoto doesn't answer, her shaking right arm just puts her kunai back into its holster.

"Mikoto, we just saw a memory, didn't we?" I ask. "That was Itachi, your _son_ and . . . and that was your husband, Fugaku Uchiha."

Mikoto still doesn't answer.

I walk up to Mikoto and place my hand on her shoulder. She shakes violently but does not try to take my hand off of her. "Mikoto! Answer me! What did we just see?"

My mouth is dry and my throat feels like it's going to close up, but I have to ask her this! I have to know! "Did you . . . did you really kill your husband, Mikoto?"

Finally, Mikoto answers. Her voice is hollow, distant, like her soul's been carved out of her. "I participated in the Uchiha Massacre, Kushina. I killed exactly one man that night."

Suddenly, she turns around, and I'm staring at her Sharingan.

But it's not an ordinary Sharingan. That much is clear.

There's a pattern in those red eyes, like a pentagram, almost. Like a cross between a star and a flower, with her pupil being the center of the cruel, bloody flower blooming to life.

I've heard of it. Being around the Uchiha for so long makes me familiar with their ways. This is not a typical Sharingan. It's not even a fully matured Sharingan. This is something beyond that, something gained when an Uchiha suffers great trauma or loss, often by his or her own hands.

I'm staring at what has to be the Mangekyo Sharingan.

Tears begin to trickle out of Mikoto's blood-red eyes, and her voice is choked, like her very life is being drained from her.

"I murdered Fugaku Uchiha, the man I loved."

* * *

I probably made it very obvious what BGM to play when Kushina beats the hell out of Shinnou. But the title is supposed to have multiple meanings, such as the castle literally shaking in the heavens, and the revelation about Mikoto . . .

Well, you just read through the longest chapter in the story. Congratulations. You win Internet pie. =)


	53. Release

Another new chapter for you all. The not-so-long-awaited battle with Zero-Tails.

* * *

**Chapter Fifty-Three: Release**

Her words, so stark, devoid of anything but a melancholy pain, seem to echo throughout the room, drowning everything out other than Shinnou's pitiful gags in his final moments of life.

"I . . . was given no choice, Kushina." Mikoto swallows shakily after speaking. "Fugaku was . . . was going to die anyway. Itachi had . . . had broken Fugaku's mind completely. He was comatose, or hypnotized, I don't know which, but my husband . . . was no longer _there_. Just a body that was still breathing."

"So you killed him because Itachi told you to," I reply.

"You don't understand," Mikoto says. She looks away from me then. "I didn't do it for Itachi. I did it for Sasuke's sake."

Her hands clench into trembling fists, her knuckles turning white. "Itachi told me . . . what he was going to do to Sasuke . . . so I begged him to do it to me instead. That whatever he needed Sasuke for, I would be the better option. That I'm a former jonin who could regain her old form quicker than it would take Sasuke to develop. That Sasuke should be allowed to grow up without despair or hatred. That I could keep Sasuke safe until he was older."

She looks back at me, her eyes returned to their normal dark shade. "I begged my eldest son to grant mercy upon Sasuke and to unleash all of what he planned upon me. That alone is_pathetic_."

Everything I can see on Mikoto, everything I can hear in her voice, it's an overwhelming wave of emotion I never knew was bottled up inside my friend. It's enraged sorrow, at herself, and at the world. All this time, I thought she was becoming cold, isolating herself from everyone and everything and losing her emotions. I can't believe I misread her so drastically.

The reality is that Mikoto's bottled everything up, and with the first disturbance to her psyche, she's ready to explode like a geyser.

"Mikoto . . . I'm so sorry," I manage.

"Don't pity me," Mikoto says. "I did what I had to do to save Sasuke. That's all it is."

"Don't lie to me!" I shout.

Mikoto stares.

"Don't give me this attitude about Fugaku's death! Your Sharingan is proof of how much it affects you, Mikoto! I know that was the Mangekyo Sharingan, it only appears in the eyes of Uchiha who've suffered great trauma, usually by killing someone they care about!"

"Sounds like a sucky power," Fuu says. "I wouldn't want to gain power that way."

"You think I wanted this, child?" Mikoto asks, her voice trembling. "You think I wanted the Mangekyo Sharingan? The power I have now is not worth everything I've lost."

I hear Shinnou wheezily laugh from the ground. I turn to his dying body and I see he's taken his hands off of his slashed throat. His voice is a barely comprehensible, ragged croak.

"You . . . all of you . . . are real pieces of work . . ." He chuckles again. "I expect the Zero-Tails to make your deaths quick . . . and most painful . . . after all . . . it's free from my control. I can no longer predict . . . what it will do next . . ."

His eyes turn towards me, and I want to back away. It's like the man can curse me with his very stare alone. "But rest assured . . . this place, Ancor Vantian . . . is not . . . what you . . ."

His eyes roll back into his head, and his head turns to his side, and I hear one final wheeze, and then nothing.

"He's dead, isn't he?" Fuu asks.

"Get ready," Mikoto says. "Anything could happen from this point forward."

"Like what?" Fuu asks. Like me, she's lost all of her weapons, it's just her bare hands, but she manages to put up a fighting stance.

"I don't know what you saw from our _first_ battle against the Zero-Tails. But the creature attacks both physically and mentally, and it can even drain our chakra away. And now it is completely out of Shinnou's control," Mikoto replies. She takes a couple of kunai out of her holster and flips one apiece to us. "I don't think these kunai will do much good, but I know we'll all feel more comfortable holding them."

I hear a cracking noise in the distance. "You think that's the Zero-Tails?"

"Yes," Mikoto says. "Sounds like it came from where the two of you entered."

Another _crack_.

Then a raw wave of raw power from the entrance to the room, enough to make the entire room shake.

"Forget fighting," Mikoto says. "Follow me. We're taking my entrance out of here. Stay close."

She sprints to the left, and I follow her. "Right behind you!"

It turns out Mikoto had found a balcony partially intact and had navigated some rubble to climb down from there. I scramble up the rubble and make it to the top of the balcony, just as another wave of dark chakra emanates from the room.

We hide behind the walls, and I peek out.

I see nothing. All I can hear is something gloppy, like something slithering.

And then a soft _munching_ noise.

"I think it's eating Shinnou," Fuu whispers in a tone that suggests she wants to vomit.

I want to throw up too. What kind of creature is this?

"We can't stay here," Mikoto says. "Follow me. We're going to need to find the control room and _avoid_ battle."

"It'll know we're going to go for the control room too," I reply.

"That's why we need to beat it there, Kushina. Come on, hurry," Mikoto says.

I can't argue with that one. "I'm following you. Lead the way, Mikoto. I trust you."

Mikoto seems to smile faintly before she turns away from me. "Right. Follow me. Stay close."

We leave the throne room, letting the Zero-Tails enjoy what will hopefully be its last meal.

* * *

The ruins are getting progressively darker as we're going along, and I no longer have the Habanero Ninjatou to act as a torch. I'm not sure I even want a torch, though. It's a dead-giveaway.

Mikoto begins talking as we run through the ruins. "I have my Sharingan on. Just follow my footsteps. _Only_ my footsteps. Not my voice."

"Why not your voice?" I ask.

"Part of the reason it took so long for me to find you is that the creature used _your_ voice to trick me, Kushina," Mikoto says. "Don't fall for it."

_"Mom."_

Naruto's voice? What? Where?

"Kushina, it's a trick," Mikoto says.

_"Mom . . . Mom . . . where are you . . . I need you, Mom . . ."_

Damn it. Damn this creature to hell, making me listen to my son's pained voice like this.

_"Mom . . . please . . . don't you love me, Mom . . . don't you? I don't want to die . . ."_

"I know it's a trick," I reply. "Doesn't make it not hurt."

But as I turn to look at Mikoto, I instead I see Naruto's bloody face plain as day.

_"Mom . . ." _

No . . . no way.

"S-Stop . . . you're not Naruto. You're not my son," I say.

_"Mom . . . please don't leave me here . . . all alone . . ."_ the facade of my son begs, tears pouring from his eyes down his bloody cheeks, his hand over his gut, blood oozing everywhere. It looks . . . _smells_ so real, like the illusion has permeated all of my senses.

"Stay away from me. I'm not falling for it, you monster," I say. I raise my kunai as the not-Naruto _reaches_ for me. Every instinct I have is begging me to help my son but my mind _knows_ it's not my son.

Damn it, Mikoto, Fuu. One of you say something. Make me snap out of it.

_"Mom . . ."_ The not-Naruto seems to sniff and gag at the same time. _"Why won't you help me, Mom?_"

"Stay away!" Damn it, no matter where I look, the Naruto-thing is still in front of me, I can't get it out of my vision, even if I close my eyes! It's like it's burning into every part of me.

I bump into something. Something hard.

I turn around, and I see Anko.

And her eyes do not look natural.

Her lips are coated with blood, and so are her teeth as a cruel, _evil_ wide grin slashes across her face. "_Like what I've done with Naruto, Kushina_?"

"Damn it, you're not Anko either! I'm not giving in to you!" I try to back away, but the not-Anko reaches out and grabs my shoulders.

"_You should have seen the look on his face when I ripped him apart_," the not-Anko says. "_There is nothing like the look of betrayal from someone who trusts you, is there, Kushina? I wonder if the villagers looked upon you the same way._"

"Let go of me!" I try to slash the not-Anko, but the kunai is no longer in my hand. Instead, something _grows_ out of the Anko-thing's back and spears my hand right through the palm.

Pain. Pain.

Painpainpainpainpainpainpain

_It hurts so much_!

It's rotting . . . my hand . . . my hand is rotting . . . turning into raw bone . . .

I look at the not-Anko's eyes, and all I see are the sickly yellow eyes that I saw on Kimimaro. "_Maybe . . . maybe I shouldn't kill Naruto. Maybe I should make him like me. Would you like that instead?_"

"You're not real! None of this is!" Make it stop. Please help me, Mikoto. Help me make it stop!

Pain . . . in the back . . . and my waist . . .

What . . .?

A spear . . .? It's gone . . . gone through me?

I turn around and I see . . . I see . . .

Konoha on fire.

And . . . and everyone in the village.

All with burned faces and arms and legs and clothes, all staring at me with nothing but hatred in their eyes . . . what of their faces that _have_ eyes . . .

"No . . . no . . . this never happened . . . it never happened." I back away from them, but they seem to get closer, all without taking a single step. Like their bodies are just moving on their own, like some invisible strings manipulating them all.

Mikoto . . . this is a genjutsu. Somehow the Zero-Tails brought me into a genjutsu. Help me, Mikoto. I know the Sharingan can help break through genjutsu! You have to help me!

My right hand . . . what happened to my right hand?

My arm!

It's _gone_!

How can I . . . how can I even Rasengan my way out of this? Just so . . .

Anko's voice. _"You tear me apart for beating up one stupid little brat and yet you defend yourself for your murder of innocents. Can you tell me what's fair about that, Kushina?_"

"Stop using Anko's voice." I know it's using my anger at Anko over what she did to my child. Trying to turn that against me.

Damn it, this is not real! None of it is! Fight it!

Focus on something . . . something good, something different!

Like the time Naruto tried to make breakfast for you on your last birthday! Picture it, in your mind, all of it! Even though he burned it a little, he still brought you flowers and he kissed you on your cheek! And it's the thought, the sentiment, behind what he did that matters!

Naruto scratching the back of his head, his face turning red from embarrassment over his burned concoction. "Um . . . I'm sorry . . . guess I kinda cooked it for too long."

"It's all right, Naruto. It's wonderful. Everything you've done is wonderful." That's because it's the truth.

That is my life. Not _this_.

The villagers have never tried to murder me. They would never spear me through the back like this. I've gotten fruit, rocks, and flower pots thrown at me, mostly by children who've been conditioned by their parents to hate me. But they have never gone as far as this. And they never will. Because, ultimately, their fear of me trumps their hatred of me, because they know I will defeat any attack they make on me.

And Anko . . . the Anko I know is my friend. I saw, personally, how much effort she puts into being the Anko Mitarashi I know, the only one I've ever known. The Anko Mitarashi I know is a young woman maturing, she's energetic and fun but caring and warm. She is almost always smiling, whether in mischief or in sympathy or in joy.

The monster with sickly yellow eyes? Anko will never let herself become that _thing_.

So stop it. You're not going to make me despair. You're going to need to try a _lot_ harder to beat me.

The color . . . wait, the color . . .

The color's gone from the world.

And it's hazy.

What's this now?

"_Kushina."_

Oh no. You did _not_ just dare to try this on me.

"_Why did you attack my village? Why did you-_"

You will _not_ use Minato against me!

You can use Anko, you can use Mikoto, you can use Hiruzen or the villagers or what have you . . .

But you will _not_ use Minato as a weapon against me!

Go_ away!_

No more voice. No more haze. Just darkness.

"_Mom_."

Trying Naruto again? What kind of trick are you pulling this time?

A light shining in the darkness. Naruto standing in the middle.

"_Why do you assume that I love you?"_

Stupid question. "Because it is through Naruto's deeds and actions that he shows to me."

The not-Naruto smiles. "_And why do you suppose they mean he loves you? Why do you think he's not just manipulating you?_"

The Zero-Tails can learn about me, but it can't hope to understand me. It's already given up on trying to make me buy into its illusions, now it's just trying to break me through words. "Naruto doesn't manipulate _anybody_. He does things differently than everyone else. He does not lie, he does not cheat-"

"_He lied to you about his classes. That's why he had to take the graduation exam three times._"

So the creature is even aware of that. How much has it gleaned from me to know me so intimately? "Naruto didn't want me to worry about him. I was in a lot of pain and he didn't want me to be stressed out over helping him. He didn't want to seem like a failure in front of me. He didn't want me to be disappointed in him, like I had returned home for nothing."

The not-Naruto laughs. "_Sounds like you don't know your son well at all._"

"No. I know my son." I finally look at the non-Naruto in the eyes. His blue eyes look so cruel, so hollow, right now, like he's the exact opposite of the Naruto I know.

"Naruto's been conditioned to not tolerate people worrying about him. He always has to feel he has to get things done on his own. It's taken him a while to learn that sometimes he needs help, that sometimes, he needs to open up to a person who cares deeply for him so he doesn't let problems fester. It's taken him a few years to learn this, but he's finally gaining friends, mentors, family. He's not alone anymore."

The not-Naruto stares at me for a second. "_You fight a lot harder than the Amaru girl._"

"I won't give into despair. Not anymore." I remember Minato's warm touch just a short time ago, his comforting words, his reminders that I have a life to live. In a way, even though I had left the cabin, I never stopped being a living ghost. I avoided contact with most people in Konoha, never letting myself heal, or the village to get to know me again.

No more.

The not-Naruto begins smiling again. "_What about hatred?_"

"You're a fool for even asking that question," I reply. "I have never hated Konoha or anyone else. Despair was my problem, not hatred."

"_Oh . . . you have plenty of hatred for _something_, I'm afraid. Yourself._"

What?

Suddenly, the not-Naruto blurs and gyrates until I'm staring at myself.

The not-_me_ opens her gray eyes and stares at me. My voice comes from the not-me's mouth. "_This is who you hate most of all. Your hatred is centered upon none other than _you_, Kushina Uzumaki._"

Why is the not-me coming closer? And why can't I back away? Can't show fear. I can't show any fear. I have to seize control again.

"_You're already trying to run away._"

The not-me's smile becomes wide, showing teeth, like a predator about to dig into its prey's flesh. "_Now I understand you. You despise yourself in this narcissistic way. Every single thing is . . ._"

It chuckles at me in my voice. "_All. About. You._"

It's almost right in my face. "That's not true. You know it's not."

"_Am I wrong?_" the not-me asks in a macabre, _playful_, tone. "_A trait of narcissism is that you are the center of your own universe. Nothing matters except for what _you_ feel, what _you_ want. Even if your feelings and emotions towards yourself are all negative, it is _still_ all about you, Kushina Uzumaki._"

The not-me laughs. "_And you truly do hate yourself. Everything resolves around you and your hatred of yourself. It's not your connections with those you love that is your weakness. Your weakness is _yourself_. The very core of your being is your weakest point._"

The not-me casually reaches behind itself and shows me a burned corpse. I look away, but not before realizing that the corpse is a representation of Naruto, my son.

"_You're afraid of yourself and your power._"

The corpses vanishes, and the not-me pulls out the shattered remnants of the Habanero Ninjatou from behind itself with its left hand this time.

"_Your despair is centered upon your failures and how you feel people should perceive you._."

Suddenly, the not-me closes its eyes and re-opens them, and they have become bestial and red.

"_And your hatred fuels all of it, Kushina Uzumaki. Your hatred for yourself._"

The not-me gets right into my face, and I can taste her foul breath. I feel like I'm smelling, tasting raw _poison_. I want to throw up but there's nothing inside me to . . .

Wait . . . what? Nothing?

The not-me smiles cruelly. "_You understand now. You're hollow, empty, and cold, Kushina Uzumaki._"

The not-me's hand goes inside me, and I can feel something, something horrible, something that feels like _tentacles_ sifting their way inside my body.

The not-me continues to smile at me. "_And you can never change that because that is what you deserve, as a hollow, empty, and cold person. Isn't that right?_"

What am I . . . what am I going to do? The creature is _right_, isn't it? That I'm a narcissist, that . . .

"_Kushina, you need to stay strong. The time will come when we can meet again. But our time to be together again isn't going to be for a long while. You need to be strong and _live_. Genuinely live, for every one and everything you care about, and everything you will _soon_ care about too._"

That's what Minato said to me. That I have to live.

Come on . . . come on . . . move. Move.

Fight it.

This is not about me. This has never been about _me_. I can't believe what this creature is saying. To believe what the Zero-Tails is saying is to give in.

This is about . . .

"_Mom . . . I love you. I love you m-more than _anything."

This is about . . .

I manage to move my arms and grab the arm that's penetrated my stomach. "You're wrong."

The not-me _stares_.

"Do you have any concept of a certain word, creature? It's a word my child calls me every time he and I are together. It's a word that means there is someone who comes before me, it's a word that means there is someone more important in my life than myself. It's a word that means that life has literally come from inside me. It's a word that means that the time to love myself, to hate myself, whatever, is over."

I yank the arm out of me. "That word is 'Mom'."

The not-me looks at me as if it has no idea what I'm talking about.

"I can't hate myself or be a 'narcissist' if that's what it is, creature. Perhaps I was both those things at some point. I _did_ abandon my son for eight years because I felt sorry for myself, because I hated myself. But motherhood means the time for all of that is _over_. My child wants to become Hokage and I promised him I would guide him there and watch him become leader of our village."

"_How does this give you the will to resist?_" the not-me asks.

"Because I live for more than just myself. Because I want to see other people get what they deserve, what they desire."

I move the not-me's arm out of the way, and I picture the Rasengan forming in my free hand, my right hand. "And to ensure what creatures like you deserve. Death."

I slam the Rasengan right into the not-me, and the not-me shrieks until it is vaporized in an instant.

* * *

I open and close my eyes.

I still see darkness.

And I feel like I'm _coated_ in something.

What is this?

Am I?

No, there's no doubt.

I'm literally _inside_ the Zero-Tails. The creature actually _ingested_ me!

And I can feel it siphoning my chakra away. No . . . not just my chakra. The Nine-Tails' chakra. It's trying to swallow it all, but I can see bubbling in the darkness. I can hear the bubbling too. It can't handle the beast's chakra. It's going down as well as an habanero pepper . . .

I must have brain damage. I can't believe I just thought that.

Okay . . . concentrate how to get out of here without spraying the creature's acidic blood all over me. I have not fought this hard and long just to get killed now.

There must be some spare chakra left . . .

_You finally came to your senses, woman_?

Yes, I have, beast. Why didn't you help me out there while I was locked in the genjutsu?

_I've been busy ensuring that you wouldn't die. You still need to live, because if you don't, I die too._

Nice to know you're touchy-feely as always.

Now . . . let's see . . .

Chakra Chains Barrier! The expansion version! That ought to do it!

I slam my hands together and focus my chakra. "Chakra Chains Barrier: Expansion!"

I form the barrier around myself and force the barrier outward, against the creature's skin or whatever it is. I see the darkness quickly split open into a bright red, but the barrier still holds. Looks like the creature's blood can't corrode _everything_.

I hear an in-human, pulsating _shriek_ as I force the barrier outward until I see daylight, covered in the creature's blood as my barrier tears the Zero-Tails open.

My back and stomach feels like it's going to be torn apart, but other than that . . . looks like I broke free.

I see part of the Zero-Tails thrash on the ground like a gigantic flopping fish before it tears off, still shrieking in agonized pain in a voice that is decidedly not human.

The rest of it melts away into the red ooze and eventually vanishes altogether, leaving an indentation of hot, hissing rock as the ooze dries up.

I look around me. Looks like the ooze is gone. It may be acidic but it doesn't last very long.

I seem to be standing in the center of a glowing room, and I look up to see what seems to be an opened cocoon.

And . . . directly behind me, in the area whose glow fills the room . . .

Four monoliths surrounding a circular slab on the floor.

Just like in the Land of Snow.

What's _that_ supposed to mean? I don't . . .

"Ms. Uzumaki!" Fuu's voice.

I see Fuu tear out of the edge of the room and run towards me, her arms stretched out wide and tears pouring from her eyes.

I let down the barrier so she doesn't run right into it and I let her crash into me. Fuu nearly tackles me but I force myself to stay upright and just hold me.

"You're alive . . ." Fuu moans. "You're alive. I never gave up on you, Ms. Uzumaki. I never gave up."

"I didn't give up either," I reply, and I return her embrace.

It's clear how much I mean to her. Naruto's not the only child I should live for. I don't know if or when I should formally adopt Fuu, but . . . it's clear she's attached herself to me. That she views me as a . . .

No. Don't think about sentiments right now. You need to focus, Kushina. You're still in danger and so are Fuu and Mikoto. The Zero-Tails may be wounded but it's going to come right back and go for the kill. I think we're approaching endgame with the creature.

"What happened to me, Fuu?" I ask. "I don't even remember the Zero-Tails getting ahold of me. How'd we get here?"

I hear Mikoto then. "The Zero-Tails ensnared you from one of the shadows and pulled you in."

"It did _what_?" I ask as I turn to Mikoto.

"I think you lost all awareness of the outside world immediately after being ensnared. You didn't fight it when the Zero-Tails was pulling you in. It had already put you somewhere else," Mikoto says.

"Yeah, I know. It was busy putting me through a ton of delusions," I reply. "How do I know I'm still not in a delusion right now, by the way?"

"You can't tell what's real and what isn't?" Fuu asks softly.

I look down at her. "The delusions were vividly detailed. All five senses got immersed in them. Even smell, which is something genjutsu usually forgets to include. But it's okay. I know this is real, Fuu."

"Uh huh," Fuu says, wiping her eyes. She doesn't sound convinced. I think what I said worried her a little, which isn't what I want. I don't want them questioning my sanity.

"Anyway, what have you two been doing while I was swallowed up?" I ask.

"Fuu and I tried to fight it, but we couldn't get the advantage. The Zero-Tails withdrew all of a sudden and we followed it all the way here." She smiles at me then. "Guess I know why it withdrew. You were giving it trouble."

"Hell yeah I'm gonna give it trouble. I'm not going to let anything eat me without giving it a memorable stomachache," I reply.

I look around us. This place is exactly like what Koyuki called the "World's End Stonehedge" back in the Land of Snow. When I had beaten Doto, he had gone flying into one of the monoliths, cracking it open and unleashing a barrage of arms from all four pillars. Those arms relentlessly chased Naruto, Ryuuzetsu Isayama, and I until we found a door with a seal on it and we slammed it right in the arms' faces.

At least, that's what Naruto and Ryuuzetsu both said. I never turned around to have a look at the glowing arms.

That means that a similar trap exists here. And that means the glowing arms could be unleashed at any time.

Is the Zero-Tails connected to this somehow? Or is this just a convenient location for it?

Do I want to know?

A _plop_ in the distance. To the northeast, seems to be above me. The Zero-Tails is on the move. It's lurking, waiting.

"Mikoto, I know the Mangekyou Sharingan grants you _something_ powerful," I reply. "You think you're up to using it?"

"Yes," Mikoto says with a sigh. "But there's a price involved. I need to make sure I'm going to hit the target or otherwise the price will be heavier."

That sounds _lovely_. "All right, sounds good to me. Just don't hit Fuu or I by mistake with it."

Another _plop_. The Zero-Tails is definitely positioning itself.

No. Wait.

It's striking.

Now.

I step aside, pushing Fuu away in the process and all of a sudden a tendril shoots past me and crashes into the floor between Fuu and I.

The tendril quickly withdraws and I hear more scurrying noises from above.

Fuu's trembling. "I-It likes doing that."

From the left!

I grab Fuu and we both dodge another tendril, which shoots right past Mikoto. The tendril stays locked into place, and I turn around just in time to see the Zero-Tails bearing down on Fuu and I, a mouth with enormous teeth opening up right under the Noh mask.

I grab Fuu and dive out of the way, just barely getting scraped by the Zero-Tails as it crashes into the ground and then springs away.

I feel _really_ tired, but it doesn't feel like a deliberate spiritual attack like what happened earlier. Maybe the Zero-Tails' attack wasn't as strong this time?

_Or maybe you're not as weak spiritually this time, woman._

Helpful insight as always, beast.

"I-It just tried to eat us," Fuu moans.

"Is that what it did to me?" I ask.

"N-No. It a-absorbed you, it-it didn't put you in its mouth," Fuu replies.

Curious. Why did it absorb me instead of eating me? Is there a particular reason why? Something tells me I'll never know.

Mikoto's eyes close and re-open, and I see the Mangekyou Sharingan. "I'll track its movements. You two get it into an exposed position."

I look over at the area with the most light, the four monoliths surrounding a round stone block in-between.

I think I can kill two birds with one stone here.

Tendril, coming from the north!

It just misses me, taking a small amount of my hair.

Here it comes, coming right for Fuu and I, its mouth wide open.

Got just enough chakra in reserve for this.

"Chakra Chains Technique!" I fire all four chains out of my back and send them all around the Zero-Tails. The creature immediately squirms like an enormous snake, thrashing against the chains, and I can feel the creature trying to use the chains to drain my chakra away.

Come on. All of your strength! Do it! Do it!

It takes every ounce of strength I have to throw the Zero-Tails with my chains into the center of the circular slab, in the middle of the four pillars. The creature _shrieks_ again, shrieks like a banshee, makes me feel like my very eardrums are being ripped open. Like they're going to bleed.

I turn to Mikoto, but I already see her finishing her hand signs. I sense great, ferocious chakra boiling from inside her. She already knows what to do.

Mikoto's voice comes out harsh, firm. "Amaterasu."

A dark, hellish fire billows from where Mikoto is standing, rushing past Fuu and I and heading straight for the Zero-Tails. I withdraw my chains and the fire blasts into the Zero-Tails, and the shriek, which just sounded alarmed, now becomes even more higher-pitched, so high-pitched it feels like a ringing in my ears more than anything else.

"What the heck is _that_?" Fuu shouts above the cracking of the flames and the screeching of the burning creature.

"Amaterasu is the ultimate fire technique," Mikoto replies. "Its flames cannot be extinguished, they can only die on their own."

The Zero-Tails thrashes about, slamming into all of the monoliths, and then I see several tendrils try to rush out from it, heading right for us.

And then the dark flames absorb the arms and they disintegrate right before they can touch us.

"I believe we have found the Zero-Tails' weakness," Mikoto says.

"Either that or Amaterasu is just too strong for it to recover from," I reply. "Which I guess counts as a weakness."

The monoliths begin cracking then, the cracking rising above the screeching din of the burning creature. The Zero-Tails seems to be _expanding_, like it's boiling over.

That's when the pulse fills the air again. And now, feeling it here, in the context of what I know now . . .

This is what hit Ryuuzetsu, Naruto, and I back in the Land of Snow.

Dark chakra.

And that means . . .

"Mikoto, Fuu. We have to go. _Now_," I say.

The Zero-Tails seems to _explode_, glowing white arms erupting from the burning body, and more arms joining it from the monoliths.

"The hell?" Mikoto gasps.

Amaterasu's flames touch the glowing arms, and they don't do a thing. The arms aren't fazed at all, not a single blotch or scratch upon them.

"What . . . what do we do?" Fuu asks.

"Mikoto . . . we have to run. Run away, this instant!" I shout. "Don't argue with me!"

"Uh . . . all right. All right. Follow me!" Mikoto spins around and begins running out of the room, and I grab Fuu just like I grabbed Naruto in the Land of Snow and carry her in my arms, following Mikoto right out.

I hear one final screech from the Zero-Tails as either the monoliths absorb it or it joins with the arms, I can't tell which.

Its a screech that suggests intelligence, that suggests it understands the concept of revenge, or . . . or . . .

_I'm taking you with me_.

In that sense, the creature actually is like the humans it loves to tear apart on every level. And that means that it is every bit as flawed as we humans, too.

As the palace feels like it is erupting under us, we exit the room . . .

But I can only wonder how we have any hope of escaping.

No matter how many exits we take, we can't get off this palace. We're thousands of feet off the ground. The only way to get to safety is to get _out_.

The only possible choice could be a leap of faith . . .


	54. Bonds

The holiday bonus chapter is here! Enjoy it!

* * *

**Chapter Fifty-Four: Bonds**

The palace is going to be destroyed. Those hands, those glowing hands, they're annihilating the walls and the ground following us through this maze of a palace. There's no face, no voice, not even a _smell_ attached to the giant hands. They're perfectly silent except for the terrain crumbling as they smash through it. That and the pulses they seem to emanate makes them mysterious in an alien manner. Like they're something far beyond what I could ever hope to understand.

The pulses aren't dark chakra. I feel like I'm being examined, but I don't feel like my soul is under attack. I just feel like I'm fleeing from something greater than myself. Something that makes me feel like I'm an ant fleeing from a human's boot.

It feels impersonal yet impossibly cruel.

"What are we going to do?" I shout as I carry Fuu through the halls, following Mikoto.

"I don't know!" Mikoto replies. "I'll come up with something!"

I see daylight up ahead. Looks like we're about to pop outside.

I squint as we run outside, along the edge of the palace. Mikoto runs to the left and I follow her. There's enough space to run without falling, but I still use my chakra to perfectly position my feet. I'm not taking any chances.

I _know_ Fuu can fly. But can she prevent Mikoto and I from dying if we have to jump? Is she strong enough physically, is she an able enough flyer? Do I want to learn any of this while plummeting several thousand feet to the ground?

I don't like my headache either. My headache has been bothering me since Shinnou. I must have had a _serious_ concussion or something.

I hear the hands smash their way through where we just exited. I take one look around to see the hands seem to gyrate among themselves for a second or two before they re-focus and begin the pursuit once more. So they're like sentient beings this way, they're not moving with absolute precision.

Something or _someone_ is controlling the hands to make such a human error, if only briefly.

Damn it. If only I could do something besides run!

We make it past the edge, but that's when Mikoto suddenly stops. And that's when I see more of the glowing giant hands appear around the corner in front of her.

She turns and looks at me.

"We've got no choice," I say.

Mikoto nods.

Ten seconds at best before these things grab the three of us.

The hands have us surrounded. I set Fuu down. "What'cha doing?" Fuu asks nervously.

"We're going to jump. You need to catch us both," I say as I try to move closer to Mikoto. It'll be easier for Fuu if Mikoto and I are together.

"_What_?" Fuu cries, her eyes wide in shock .

The hands are striking! No more time to talk!

"Just do it, Fuu!" I watch Mikoto jump off the edge, and I step off too, hurtling towards the ground.

I can't believe it. I'm really falling.

How long before I hit the ground? Thirty seconds, at best?

Gotta get to Mikoto. Gotta get to her.

I hope Fuu jumped after us. Otherwise Mikoto and I are gonna die.

Get to Mikoto. Worry about Fuu later, get Mikoto first.

I reach for her hand, and she notices me right as I reach. "Kushina!"

"I gotcha!" I grab Mikoto and pull her close. And now we're both falling towards the earth together. Twenty seconds at best.

"You're crazy!" Mikoto shouts.

"Gotta be crazy in this profession!" I shout back. "You all right?"

"I'm about to crash into the ground, what do you think?"

"Oh, right."

I look up, and I see that the giant glowing arms and hands have wrapped themselves completely around the sky palace. The arms contort around the palace and there's a massive blinding flash that covers the sky.

"One helluva last thing to see, huh?" Mikoto shouts.

"We're going to see a lot more than this, don't say that!" I reply

Come on, Fuu. I know you had to have jumped after us. I know you did. You're a brave girl. You can do this. You can fly. There's nothing to be afraid of here.

"Ms. Uzumaki!" That's Fuu's voice.

There she is, coming from the left! She's grown her wings and her eyes have turned gold! She's coming, coming fast!

Ten seconds at best before impact! More likely five!

We're about to fall into the trees!

I reach my left arm towards Fuu as she comes flying in. Come on, gotta grab her. Before-

Yes!

She has us, and I haven't lost Mikoto!

"Gotcha!" Fuu manages.

Damn it, I want to throw up! Stupid Nine-Tailed Fox! When will you accept the Seven-Tails' chakra?

Hold onto Mikoto! I have to hold onto both Mikoto and Fuu! Can't lose my grip on either of them!

Descent's slowing! But we're going to be in the canopy of these trees!

I can't believe we just pulled this off.

We're going to make it! All of us! We're actually going to-

Oh wait.

Shit.

Tree! Right in front of us!

"Fuu!" I shout. "Watch out for that tree!"

"Dang it!" I can see Fuu trying to move out of the way, but it's too late. She slams right into the tree, splintering it in half right where she hits it, and I lose her.

It's just Mikoto and I now, falling through the forest.

World spinning. Pain. Lots of pain.

I can't help but hold Mikoto tightly and shield her from the wealth of the abuse. I can get better. Mikoto won't.

Crap, _another_ tree-

Nothing.

* * *

_Kushina, the world I know can hate you. The world I know can try to break you. _

_None of that matters._

_You are too strong to accept hatred. You are too strong to let yourself be broken. Never give up, no matter what you face in the days and years ahead. You have a lot of time left on this world, and no matter what you may think or feel, don't give up. Don't give up on the world, don't give up on Konoha, don't give up on Naruto, and most of all, don't give up on yourself._

_Just remember I am with you, by your side, as you go. Always._

_I love you._

* * *

Minato?

Minato, is that you?

Where am I? Did I just die?

No . . . there's too much pain. I'm aching all over. And I feel really damn exhausted.

My sensei once told me that pain means that I'm still alive.

I guess if that's true I feel too _alive_ to be dead.

That's a good thing, I _think_.

I open my eyes and blink away the blur to see a familiar face, but it's not Minato. It's someone else, someone I met in Orochimaru's hideout, and he seriously looks like a girl, especially without the Mist headband and in the androgynous civilian wear he has on.

"Are you all right?" Haku asks as he stands over me.

"Apparently." My voice is a weak groan, and I have a headache that seems to be a fog over my brain. I can barely remember the crash before darkness enveloped me.

And I swear I'm hearing echoes of Minato's voice as I try to sit up. I know it must be impossible, it wasn't like the usual Minato-visions I've had, and it wasn't like what had happened in my fight against Shinnou either. It was like a voice cutting through fog and mist, but softly resting in my mind, gentle and warm.

"I'm . . . I'm still alive, so yeah, I-I guess I am all right. Nothing that the Nine-Tails' chakra won't fix," I reply. I look over to my right, and see Mikoto still lying on the ground, face up, her eyes closed. I see her chest rising and falling, though, so that means she's still alive.

I guess Mikoto is going to have to meet her husband at a later time. I'm sure the conversation will be _incredibly_ interesting.

"How long, you think?" I ask Haku.

"It's been a couple of hours since I found the three of you, I don't know how long it's been since the three of you wound up here. The only one conscious was Fuu. I've been having her grab me things so I can help you and Ms. Uchiha," Haku replies.

"Help. Right. Thanks," I say. Damn this headache, I just want it to go away.

I can't get the images, smells, thoughts, feelings the Zero-Tails forced into me out of my head. I didn't just _see_ the bleeding, screaming villagers all coming for my head. I smelled their blood too. And Naruto's blood. I smelled it all, overwhelming my senses.

I look at Haku, and all of a sudden all I see is his face sliced apart with his eyes gouged out.

I look away and close my eyes.

It's just my imagination. I'm not smelling anything, am I? I don't smell blood. If I smelled blood, then it would be real.

I look at Haku again, and he looks normal. His eyes, who suddenly look like the most amazing things in this world, seem to be concerned. "You seem to have suffered some trauma."

He doesn't know the half of it. "It . . . it was a rough go up there."

I look at Haku. "Where are the others?"

Haku shakes his head. "I separated myself from them during the chaos. I have no wish to enter Konoha at this time, Ms. Uzumaki. Once I am sure that the three of you are capable of moving, I will be leaving you as well. I need to find another master to act as his weapon . . . and hopefully not _fail_ this time."

"Haku . . . don't talk like that. You're not just a weapon," I reply.

"I have no purpose other than to be someone else's weapon, Ms. Uzumaki," Haku replies. "My previous master needed me to kill for him, so that's what I did. Master Shinnou needed me to protect him, so that's what I did. Until I failed them both, that is. Failed them and even failed Amaru . . . I could not prevent her transformation into that monster."

"You can have a different life than that," I reply. "Konoha can provide you with a purposeful life, where you don't have to be just a weapon. They're going to be having another graduating class of genin in just a few more months. One look at your abilities and they'd make you genin in a heartbeat, and you would have a mentor who'd sincerely care about you, Haku. You could live a vastly different, more peaceful life."

Haku looks away. "It's a life I cannot have. My master died at the hands of a young Konoha kunoichi. A kunoichi with ferocious eyes, more fierce than even my master."

His teeth clench. "And by the time I saw her begin the act, I could not save my master. I was useless to attack or kill for him."

His words trigger something in my hazy mind. A young Konoha kunoichi . . . with ferocious eyes . . .

No. No way. He can't be . . .

"Haku," I say. "Was your master named 'Zabuza', by chance?"

Haku's brown eyes light up and he looks at me. "How did you know?"

"I've met the young kunoichi who killed Zabuza," I reply. "She and I do not get along very well."

"Her name," Haku says, suddenly diving in front of me, his eyes so wide that they look like they could fall out of their sockets. "Ms. Uzumaki, I need her name. Now."

Part of me wants to tell him. So he understands. But, even so, I can't do so. I would be betraying Konoha by doing so.

"I can't tell you her name," I reply. "But at the rate she is progressing, she will become a highly feared ninja, if not a missing-nin. It is likely she will attempt the Chuunin Exams, and she seems powerful enough to make it far. If you wish to find out her name, pay Konoha a visit during the Exams."

Haku's eyes shimmer, and then he looks away. "Fair enough. I shouldn't have asked you to betray your village. To believe you would do so was stupid of me."

"You're not stupid, Haku. I'm just not willing to give up on her yet," I reply. "I'm not going to give up on anyone or anything, not until the end."

Haku looks back at me, and he seems to give me a small, sad smile. "That's a rigid philosophy, Ms. Uzumaki."

I look back towards the untamed grass and dandelions on the ground. Neither plant has never seemed more beautiful to me than right now, at this very second. They remind me of how easy it is to take things for granted, when instead it should all be treasured, because it can easily vanish without warning.

"Twelve years ago, Haku, I gave up before the end. I gave up on _myself_. That has caused a lot of pain for my village, for myself, and for those I care about, pain that didn't need to happen, because I was foolish enough to give up. And when I gave up on myself, I gave up on _everything_. I gave up on Konoha, I gave up on my friends and allies, and I gave up on my child. People and places I didn't need to give up upon, but because I gave up on myself, I gave up _everything_ by extension."

I look back at his eyes. He's paying close attention to my words.

"You want to know 'stupid', Haku? 'Stupid' is what I did twelve years ago. What I did in giving up on everything, including myself, was a colossal mistake, one I won't make again. No matter how ashamed or worthless I may feel in the heat of the moment, I will _never_ give up again. I'm done with that."

Now that I realize it . . . "The only reason why Fuu, Mikoto, and I are even still alive right now because I _refused_ to give up, Haku. I was put through the wringer up there, if you're willing to believe it, and I refused to stop. I found reserves somehow, some way, and kept moving forward and kept fighting and somehow I made sure that the three of us survived and got out of there while the sky palace went down _hard_. We won, we lived, because I didn't give up."

Haku chuckles softly. "I'm willing to believe you went through the wringer, Ms. Uzumaki. Your clothing suggests so."

I look down at myself. Rips and tears all over my sleeves and pant legs, my flak vest is gone, my abdomen is completely exposed, and I've lost yet another forehead protector that I'm going to need to replace.

I chuckle. "I guess it's pretty obvious, isn't it?"

"Haku! Haku, I'm back!" Fuu shouts. I see her emerge from the forest to my left, and she nearly drops the herbs in her arms when she sees me. "Ms. Uzumaki!"

Oh boy.

She charges forward, barely slowing down to put the herbs in Haku's hands before she tackles me and I'm on my back and she's on top of me.

Her arms are around me, and she's crying in my shoulder. "Ms. Uzumaki! Ms. Uzumaki!"

"It's all right," I say to her softly. "It's all right. I made it, Fuu. We all did."

"I-I thought I screwed up," Fuu cries.

"You didn't. You did fine, Fuu. Really," I say. I wrap my arms around her and let her cry. As foolish as it is to have true _nakama_ when you're a ninja, particularly with someone from another village . . . I can't help it. I don't know if I can provide the family Fuu seems to desire, but I can at least give her trust and warmth.  
I turn my head to the right to see Haku kneeling by Mikoto. He looks back at me as he begins organizing his herbs.

"Haku," I manage despite the weight on my chest and stomach.

He gives me one last look. "I can't live by your philosophy, Ms. Uzumaki. I'm not you. I'll never be even _like_ you."

He shakes his head. "I will treat your friend and then I will move on. For all of our sakes, let me go. Until the kunoichi who murdered Zabuza is killed, whether by me or someone else, or leaves Konoha, I can't live there, or even visit. We're just incompatible."

He turns back towards Mikoto. "Farewell, Ms. Kushina Uzumaki."

There's many responses I can say to that. I can make the argument so much longer. But I can tell, in Haku, there's something steely about the way he's made up his mind. Nothing I can say will convince him, and dragging him into Konoha by force will just be asking for something tragic to occur.

In this sense, I have no choice but to give up . . . for _now_.

I'm not going to give up on Haku permanently. He's young. He'll realize how foolish he is being in time. And maybe someday he'll take the hand of someone who truly cares about him, instead of just using him, and he'll find his way into a much better life.

But . . . for now, he needs to follow the path he feels he must follow. I can't follow him down that path, and he is obviously unwilling to follow mine.

So be it, Haku.

But I won't give up on you.

"When we meet again," I say to Haku as he begins working on Mikoto, "I will try to save you again. Count on it."

He doesn't look back towards me, but he pauses, just for a second.

Then he manages a soft "I will."

I guess I'll have to accept that as a "yes" for now.

* * *

Haku leaves right after Mikoto stirs, vanishing into the forest like he had never been here at all. Mikoto finally sits up not long afterwards, and she sighs wistfully. "I suppose we're all still alive."

"We are," I reply. "We made it, Mikoto. All of us."

"Did we?" Mikoto shakes her head. "I don't know. Everything just hurts."

Did the Zero-Tails attempt to place Mikoto in a genjutsu just like it did with me? Mikoto never said so, all that I can confirm is that Shinnou tried to assault Mikoto with her memories and it didn't work.

"It's all right, Mikoto. You killed the Zero-Tails, and the sky palace has exploded. There's no more danger anymore."

Mikoto just _looks_ at me. "It's the exact opposite, Kushina. What the hell was that place? What if there's more like it? And . . . and now you and Fuu know something I've kept a secret all this time, my . . . my Mangekyou Sharingan."

What does Mikoto mean by . . . ?

Oh wait.

The Mangekyou Sharingan is proof she participated in the Uchiha Massacre, that she encountered Itachi, and that she has a lot more power than she's been letting on all this time. No wonder Mikoto's been so distant from everyone in Konoha. Mikoto fears reprisal for her actions to save Sasuke.

"You know I won't betray you," I say. I rub her shoulder so she knows I mean it. "Your secret's safe with me."

"Is it safe with Fuu?" Mikoto asks. "She doesn't understand the consequences of having the Mangekyou."

"I'll make sure she doesn't talk," I reply. "She'll grasp what's going on, she's a smart girl."

Mikoto looks away from me, as if she doesn't believe me. Her dark eyes are staring into space again.

"Mikoto, I'm not going to betray you. You did what you felt you had to in order to-"

"I wasn't given a choice, Kushina."

Her words, hollow and soft, cut through my own like a blade.

"Mikoto-"

"Itachi gave me no choice. The other options were unacceptable," Mikoto says. Her dark eyes look towards the ground. "And I was too weak. I would have failed to save Sasuke that night if you had not intervened when you did, Kushina. I was feeling the Mangekyou activate, I was in so much pain, I was still trying to escape the aftereffects of what Itachi _did_ to me, and I . . . I had just killed the man I loved, and . . ."

She folds her hands. "I can't be weak. Not again. Not until Sasuke is a jonin. Once Sasuke makes jonin . . . I know he'll be all right."

My memory of that night comes to the forefront of my mind. I remember Mikoto burying her face in her hands, shrieking in agony. Now her behavior made sense. It wasn't just trauma from what Itachi had done to the clan. Itachi had tortured her, she had just murdered her husband, she was undoubtedly feeling the Mangekyou activate, she was desperate to hide its activation from everyone, and she was trying to piece herself together enough to try to make it to Sasuke before her youngest son was murdered by an Itachi accomplice.

And Konoha's suspicions towards Mikoto make sense too. They think Mikoto is hiding something, that she may be working with Itachi. They don't know how true that is. Mikoto is hiding the secret of the Mangekyou, and she literally _did_ work with Itachi four years ago, because she followed an explicit order by Itachi. It doesn't matter how cruel or inhumane the order was, and the agony it put Mikoto through, and how she truly had no choice. Many of the village would regard Mikoto's behavior as treason regardless of the context.

That's why they have Kakashi Hatake shadowing Mikoto. Kakashi has a Sharingan himself. If a non-Uchiha knows all the secrets, all the signs, of the Mangekyou, it would be Kakashi. All it would take is one slip-up by Mikoto and Kakashi would know _everything_ and so would the village.

"Mikoto," I say. "You're going to be fine. I'll say _I_ destroyed the Zero-Tails, not you. I sacrificed the Habanero Ninjatou in order to do it."

Mikoto gives me a small, melancholy smile. "Would they believe you, Kushina, or would they think you're just covering up for your best friend?"

"Mikoto-"

"Kushina, the Hokage knows you very well. _Too_ well. You really think you could deceive him?"

Mikoto's right. I hate to admit it but she's right. There's no way I'd be able to deceive Hiruzen. He'll know something's up right away, and that'll just make things worse for everyone.

"Then . . . then perhaps we shouldn't be discussing deception. Perhaps we should be discussing you telling the truth to the Hokage."

Mikoto's eyes widen.

"We should tell the Hokage exactly what happened here. You should tell the Hokage why you've been keeping this from him. You should tell him exactly what Itachi made you do and what Itachi did to you. Tell the Hokage that you sacrificed yourself for Sasuke, and that the Mangekyou Sharingan must stay a secret. The Hokage is hard-boiled but he can be a surprisingly understanding man, Mikoto."

A soft, humorless chuckle escapes Mikoto briefly. "You say this like it will be easy, without consequences."

"I'm not denying that there won't be consequences. But maybe the Hokage will know that you're not some double-agent working for Itachi anymore," I say.

"It's not the Hokage I'm worried about," Mikoto replies.

"Then _what_ are you worried about? The Council? Danzo Shimura?"

Mikoto looks away from me and bites her lip. "Kushina . . . please, enough."

"Mikoto, you are my best friend. I'm not going to stop trying to help you." Mikoto's dark eyes look back at me. It takes me a moment to see that she's starting to cry. It's surreal to watch, after the last four years of Mikoto not shedding a single tear that she's cried twice in a matter of hours just now.

People have told me I basically wear my heart on my sleeve. I don't disguise my emotions well. But Mikoto . . . Mikoto has been the exact opposite this whole time. She's closed herself off for so long.

I hug her and let her head rest of my shoulder. "I'm here for you, Mikoto, okay? So don't tell me 'enough'. There will never be 'enough' when it comes to me and you, no matter what happens."

"K-Kushina . . ." I hear her softly begin to cry on my shoulder, and I feel Mikoto's arms wrap around me.

She finally can't hide how she feels. It took her four years to suppress everything, but only hours for it to rise to the surface all over again.

"Mikoto, don't give up. Everything will be better soon, okay? Everything will be okay."

The image of Itachi Uchiha floats into my mind. He wasn't much more than a child when he killed the Uchiha. When he did this to Mikoto.

Mikoto . . . I've made up my mind on what has to be done. I can't tell you this because it'll just hurt you more. It'll just make you worried about me.

I'll take care of Itachi for you. He no longer has to be your responsibility. This isn't vengeance or anything like that. I may even take him alive if there's an opportunity to.

But, sometime soon, I will make sure Itachi can't hurt anyone else ever again, and he will face justice for what he did to you and Sasuke . . . and your clan. Your clan that helped me that night twelve years ago, made sure I would not bleed to death when I returned back to normal from that eight-tailed transformation.

The Uchiha were, _are_, friends of mine, friends of Minato too. And as their friend and ally, I will make sure that the young man who murdered them all will receive justice for what he did.

Whether justice comes at my hands or the hands of the village is entirely up to Itachi.

But he will face it, one way or another. I swear it, Mikoto.

He will learn, just like I have, that there is no escaping the consequences of your actions.

Whether he can live with the consequences, or will die because of them . . .

Is something that will be decided when I face Itachi in battle.

And I will, Mikoto. I will face Itachi. I will study him, I will ask you as much as I can about him so I know what he's capable of, so he can't do to me what he did to you. I will make sure that the battle is fought as privately as possible, so no one else will get hurt, and so no one will stop me from doing what has to be done.

You may hate me for it. You will cry over it. You'll probably tell me that this is something you wanted to do, something you wanted to bear.

And I can't have that, Mikoto. I'm your friend.

You've taken burdens off of me your whole life. I will return the favor. I'll take this burden off of you and take it upon myself so you can finally live your life, that you can find happiness once again as Sasuke grows into a man.

Itachi will either come back to Konoha to face the consequences of what he's done, or the consequences will come at my hands.

His fate is decided.

And that will free your fate so you can be who you want to be, Mikoto.

I promise you, as your friend, as your fellow ninja as . . .

As the person who saved Sasuke's life . . .

Itachi will pay for what he's done. He will pay for _all_ of it.

Count on it.


	55. A Wilting Flower

Approaching the end of the fic, not much left.

* * *

**Chapter Fifty-Five: A Wilting Flower**

I stare at the massive entrance to Konoha, the doors open wide like they usually are except in time of siege. Konoha is surprisingly open to visitors, just as long as they are thoroughly examined by the gate guards who are tenaciously watching. Konoha's gate guards tend to be chuunin, veterans who can usually see if something is amiss. Most of the adult genin Konoha uses tend to be couriers or work odd jobs that the jonin-sensei squads can't handle.

"Well . . . we're finally home. I have no clue whether we beat the others here or not," I say. I look over at Mikoto, whose eyes seem to be staring off into space. "What do you think?"

"Does it matter?" Mikoto asks softly.

She's been like this ever since the destruction of Ancor Vantian. Very distant and melancholy. Not that I blame her. I am sure she is reliving what Itachi did to her with renewed clarity since Shinnou and the Zero-Tails dragged all of that back to the forefront of her mind.

The only reason why I don't relive what the Nine-Tails did to Konoha is because I'm only vaguely aware of what happened. I did not have control, but it seemed to my hazy, distorted mind that I was. I don't remember any of the destruction other than occasional lucid images and sounds that are jumbled in my head. No, what I see and hear with clarity is the aftermath, after I woke up in the street. When I saw Mikoto holding my child and I made an incredibly foolish decision that made everything worse instead of better.

I can't let Mikoto continue to be this way. I have to keep trying to snap her out of it. Before she makes a mistake equitable to mine twelve years ago.

"Yes, of course it matters," I reply. "It depends how we have to handle the report, that's all."

"Mmm." Mikoto walks up besides me, and gazes at the gate. "Kushina, I would prefer if I were the one to give the report, and if I did it on my own."

"What, really?" I ask.

"There is a lot that has to be said, and you being there will just make it harder for me," Mikoto replies. "Don't take this the wrong way. This is just something I feel I should do on my own, in private, with the Hokage. I hope you understand."

To be honest, I don't see how this will make things easier for Mikoto, but at the same time . . . as her friend, I should respect her wishes. I should let her have control over her own life. I'm already planning on seizing control over Itachi's fate. Do I really need to wrest this choice from Mikoto too?

When does the line get drawn from being a friend to being a micro-manager?

"If that is what you wish, Mikoto, I'm not going to stop you," I reply.

Mikoto looks up at the evening sky, which has become a cool shade of violet as the sun is in its final throes before it finally sets. "I know the formal mission briefing has to be done as a group. That's fine. But let's face it, Kushina, we beat everybody else here. We were _flying_. I want to tell the Hokage the truth before anyone from the team has a chance to learn . . . learn what _you_ know. This is something I want to keep as private as possible."

Her dark eyes turn towards me. "It's hard to describe in words . . . what it felt to do what I did."

"I don't think so," Fuu chimes in from my right. "It was to save Sasuke, right? You did what you thought was right."

Mikoto's dark eyes seem to light up, but then she looks away from the both of us. I have the sense she suppressed reactionary anger. "Fuu, what I did was wrong. Horrifically wrong. And the alternative was even worse. Don't even pretend to understand."

Fuu just sighs. "I guess."

Mikoto looks back at me then. A small, sad smile slowly appears on her face. "A lot of people thought I was crazy when I stopped being an active kunoichi after I became pregnant with Itachi. I was becoming powerful, particularly with genjutsu. But the truth is, power is not something I've ever desired. As an active kunoichi, I had great power, yes, I used it to kill a lot of people. It wasn't something I wanted to do after Itachi was born."

She bites her lip. "I . . . I was _happy_ being a homemaker, Kushina. Power had given me nothing but pain and violence, and without power, I just felt peace. But . . . Itachi taught me the hard way how helpless I have been without power. Because I had no power, Itachi was thrown on the front lines when he was half as old as Sasuke is now. Because I had no power, Itachi got lost within the ANBU and I couldn't stop it from happening. Because I had no power, Itachi fell away from the clan, from his family, and murdered them all."

Her voice has become gradually more shaky and pained. Is she going to cry again? She just looks like she is _lost_. I wonder if this is how I looked to Mikoto twelve years ago.

Mikoto closes her eyes for a moment and then re-opens them. "Because I had no power, Itachi had power over Sasuke, and the only thing I could do was allow Itachi to have power over _me_instead. It's something I can't allow to happen again, for Sasuke's sake."

She looks away from me, looks back towards the gate. "I . . . I wanted to die, Kushina. I wanted to give up and _die_ when I had saw what had happened to my family. But when I asked about Sasuke, and Itachi gave his answer . . . I knew that if I took the easy way out and died, Sasuke would live a life full of torment, loneliness, and emptiness. I wasn't going to let that happen. If anyone is going to live the life Itachi wished for Sasuke, it's going to be me."

Damn it, Mikoto. "It doesn't have to be your life," I reply. "You can still try to live a wonderful life, Mikoto. There's still time."

Mikoto smiles again. It's so forced, and so sad, that it makes my heart shudder. "Kushina, as long as Sasuke becomes a wonderful young man, I'll gladly live a lonely, empty life. Because that means I did not let Itachi, and this cruel world that created Itachi, _win_. Sasuke is going to have the power to live well, and nothing is going to take that power away from him."

She turns back towards the gates. "I've said enough, Kushina. But you have an inkling of what I will tell the Hokage tonight. Thank you for all of your kind words over the last couple of days. We'll talk again soon."

She walks off towards the gate, slowly but purposefully, clearly still lost in thought. I want to say something to her as she heads towards the gate, but the words can't come out. I have nothing to say. Literally nothing. Her words have taken my literal breath away.

Fuu just stares. "Wow. I've never heard anyone talk that way before."

"She's really hurt, Fuu. I wish she would just let me help her. She's making the same mistakes I made twelve years ago. I felt that a lonely, empty life was appropriate for me once too, and I found out that such a life is a mistake," I reply.

"Why don't you tell her that then?" Fuu asks.

Fuu has a point, but there's something she didn't quite see. "I was starting to, but she wasn't listening to me. The time will come when she'll listen to me, I guess it just isn't right this very second."

"She better listen soon or she's going to pay for it later," Fuu says.

"We don't know that, and for now, let's not project onto her. I'll give Mikoto a little bit more time."

"I guess," Fuu sighs. "I just wanna go home and crash after everything we've gone through. Do you mind?"

"No, of course not," I reply. "I think I'm going to pay Anko a quick visit first before I go home, though. She lives on the same street as us, so it's not like a major detour."

"Don't take too long," Fuu says, chuckling. "The moment Naruto sees me he's gonna want to find you."

"I know," I reply. "I won't take too long, if I can't find Anko I won't make Naruto wait too long. I just want to talk some things over with Anko first."

"Okay," Fuu says, nodding. "I'll see you soon."

She walks off towards the village, and after a moment, I follow her.

* * *

After checking in with the gate guards, Fuu and I separate, Fuu heading for my home, and I'm heading towards Anko's apartment. While I could walk with Fuu most of the way, I want to be lost in my own thoughts right now. Not just regarding Fuu, Mikoto, and everything else that's happened recently, but Anko as well.

The truth is, I need to forgive Anko. That's something that I've realized from my conversations with Mikoto. I don't _want_ to forgive Anko for what she did to Naruto, but at the same time . . . I pretty much _have_ to. Anko's probably been beating herself up since the Land of Snow mission, and . . . and she needs to move on. And so do I. Clean slate for the both of us.

I don't know if Anko and my friendship will ever be the way it was. I know we've been going through the motions, but the mutual trust between us isn't there anymore. Even though Anko tries to act like nothing's changed, I've sensed something tense from her whenever we talk. Like she's waiting for me to lash out at her again.

I've let her twist in the wind long enough.

Like it or not, she is Naruto's sensei and was there for him when I was not. Anko will never be a daughter figure to me, especially after discovering what she did, but she _is_ Naruto's older sister figure. And it's clear that Anko transformed herself into someone else, that she changed for Naruto's sake, instead of forcing Naruto to change for her own.

That's what love does.

I look up at the apartment. I remember staring at a similar one almost four and a half years ago. My heart slamming against my chest, my body tensing from fear and anticipation. That's not happening this time. Maybe the battle with Shinnou and the Zero-Tails doesn't make this seem like such a big deal.

I wonder how Mikoto is going to tell Hiruzen how we defeated Shinnou. I don't think Mikoto knows the Mito Uzumaki connection the way I do. The thing is, though, do I want to tell Hiruzen everything? Or does it even matter? Hiruzen dates from Mito's time, he could very well know everything that happened and why, and any effort to hide this from him could be pointless.

It's just become so clear there's some mysterious, something subtly _off_ about this world. And I have no idea what to do about it.

Look, first things first. Knock on Anko's door, tell her you forgive her, then go home to Naruto and Fuu. You're going to need to work out your relationship to Fuu, too. The Chuunin Exams are going to start soon and Fuu will need to partner up with her teammates if Taki got a couple ready in time. That means Fuu's going to need to make a choice . . . and to be honest, that choice should be to enter the Exams as a member of a Taki squad.

So much to do. So little time to do it.

Wait . . . something's wrong.

It's not from the apartment. It's from behind me.

Turn around!

I see her. Pink hair. Sheepdog bangs.

Damn it, not now.

Not Sakura Haruno.

She snuck up on me _again_.

"Hello, Kushina."

Nip this in the bud, _now_. "Sakura, you should consider yourself lucky I did not press charges against you for what you pulled before. I'm not going to be so merciful again."

Sakura smiles. It's not the shark-like grin she had from the last time we met, but it still looks sickly and cruel. "Oh really, now? Mind if I call your bluff?"

"My bluff?"

"You realize that if you do press charges against me, Kushina, you would ruin my ninja career. I'd be thrown off of Team 8, though that isn't quite as bad, Shino and especially Kiba get on my nerves. Oh hell, so does Kurenai. She tries to act so maternal towards me and it takes every ounce of my self-control to not take her apart."

Her right hand reaches up and grabs her forehead, as if she's developing a terrible headache. The smile stays, and her lone visible eye continues to stare at me with its ferocious intensity. "Kurenai keeps trying to get inside my head. Keeps casting her stupid genjutsu on me, trying to figure out what makes me _tick_. I've learned how to _seriously_ screw with her, though, which is fun. I think I've actually driven her to drinking."

This _lovely_ bits of information tell me a whole lot more than I wanted to know. "Thanks for telling me this, I suppose, but get to your point, Sakura. I have to talk to someone and then head home, and I'd appreciate it if you make it fast."

"Is this your way of telling me to get lost?" Sakura asks.

As much as I want to say "yes", I know that saying that would just allow Sakura to defeat me. I'm not going to reduce myself to a child's level by allowing her to get under my skin. Even though Sakura made me spent a few hours in jail thanks to the stunt she pulled, I can't let that be used as a crutch or an excuse.

"I'm asking you what your point is in telling me all of this," I reply.

"I'm saying that you or no one else has the _guts_, that's what. Not even the Hokage has the guts to punish me. You're all afraid if you do that I'll go missing-nin on all of you. So no, I don't think you'll press charges against me, because you think I will escape from jail and become a missing-nin and get stronger on my own. And then when that happens it'll be _all your fault_ all over again."

Sakura laughs. "If I know you for one thing, Kushina, you'll do _anything_ to avoid more guilt being placed on your shoulders. You're a coward like-"

Footsteps, charging from the left. I turn just in time to see a fist coming right for Sakura's face.

Sakura turns just to eat the punch from the orange blur on her left cheek. She's hit so hard she is sent flying off of her feet and she crashes to the ground, sliding across the pavement until she slams into an empty garbage can and a wall.

I turn back towards where the orange blur had hit Sakura, and I see the person clearly. _Very_ clearly.

Naruto.

I should have known. No other ninja wears orange.

Naruto doesn't turn to look or acknowledge me. He just takes a moment to catch his breath, and then makes a growling sound as he walks past me and towards Sakura.

"What the heck is _wrong_ with you?" Naruto shouts at Sakura.

Sakura groans as she gets up, rubbing her cheek which is clearly going to bruise. "N-Naruto?" she asks softly.

I ready myself. I don't know whether Sakura's going to attack my son or not. The moment this gets out of hand I'm breaking this fight up, no matter what the consequences are.

Naruto's hand points at me but his eyes remain focused upon Sakura. "Why do you keep picking on my mom? Last time, you got her thrown into jail! I'll go to hell before I let anyone lock up my mom again! Believe it!"

I'm shocked, not just by Naruto's words, but by Sakura's reaction. I don't see any aggression in Sakura anymore. In fact, her eyes, partially obscured behind those pink bangs, look almost . . . almost _tender_. "N-Naruto . . . Naruto, she . . ."

"That was _not_ my mom who hurt your parents," Naruto growls. "My mom would never do anything like that! That was the demon inside her that did that, not my mom! If you want something to blame, blame the Nine-Tailed Fox! All my mom was trying to do that night was _save_ me! If you don't want to blame the demon, blame me for being stupid enough to get born on that night in the first place!"

_So even your son, who has my markings on his face, has no respect for me. You think he is so special, but all he is another typical human._

Naruto makes a loud sniffing sound. I think he's actually trying to keep from crying. "Just stop picking on my mom. She could have thrown you out of the village for what you've been doing and she hasn't done it because she's not that kind of person."

"Naruto, you don't understand!" Sakura pleads.

"Oh, I understand!" Naruto shouts back. "You're pissed off because your parents got badly hurt! I get that! I'd be mad too! But you know what? You should be happy your parents are still alive, Sakura! They're still alive, and they still love you, I'm sure, even though all you've been doing is a lot of stupid stuff!"

His hands clench into fists. "I had no idea who my parents were until my mom literally walked into my life out of the blue. No one told me who they were. They were both treated like they were _dead_. And when I got in trouble, when somebody decided to beat me up because they didn't like a prank I pulled, the most I heard about either my mom or dad was 'this'll learn ya so ya don't turn out like ya mom'. How am I supposed to take that, huh?"

He's definitely crying now. His voice is clear but he's clearly trying to keep from choking up. I want to reach out and grab his shoulder and tell him he's said enough, but I don't think Naruto is finished yet either.

"You've always been loved, Sakura. That's something you've always had and you should treasure, because you don't know when that's going to go away for good. I know this because I didn't know what that felt like for a _really_ long time! And that's something I'm not going to let people like you ruin, because you know what? You can think of my mom as a monster but to me, my mom is the most wonderful person I have ever met!"

He walks right up to Sakura, who is just staring at Naruto in stunned, tearful silence. Naruto looks down at her, and he just shakes his head. "And you just ignore the love of your mom and dad because you want to act like a jerk. Lemme ask you this: how has acting like a jerk helped you or your mom and dad? What good's it done?"

He turns away from her and faces me, rubbing his eyes with his sleeve. "You oughta go home and tell your mom and dad you love them very much. There's no way to know how long you'll be able to do that, and I get the feeling you don't do it that much. But when you have the chance to do that, you ought to, because you will never have that chance again someday. Believe it."

He looks up from his sleeve, and his teary blue eyes gaze right into mine. He tries to smile, but all he can manage is a shaky grimance in the shape of a smile. "H-Hi, Mom. Are you okay?"

"I . . . I'm fine, Naruto." I just barely finish before Naruto runs over and hugs me, and I return the embrace. I still feel partially numb, like I can't process what just happened. I've never heard Naruto like this before. I knew he was _passionate_ about a lot of things, but . . . this takes it to a whole different level.

I look beyond my son to see Sakura staggering to her feet, still holding her cheek. The intensity is gone from her eyes, there's just this forlorn sadness in them now, and I get the feeling she's numb too. She's reeling from what Naruto just said, and she has no idea of how to take it.

Sakura just gives me one final look with those broken green eyes, and then turns and slowly walks away in complete silence. There's no rage or anger in her movements anymore, just the look of someone who is really, _really_ tired.

"Sakura!" I say. "If you need-"

Sakura turns around. Her voice is soft, almost a wisp, but it carries. "I'm going home. Don't say anything to me anymore."

She turns around and continues walking away, vanishing into the dark streets. I think . . . it's for the best, she does this. I hope she's doing some soul-searching right now, and isn't going to stew in anger and hatred. She has a lot of potential and clearly works hard, but . . .

No. Just concentrate on your own child. Sakura can wait for another day.

I look down at the top of my son's head. "Naruto, it's okay. I'm right here."

"I love you, Mom," Naruto says softly.

"I love you too," I reply.

The door opens from my right, and I see Anko Mitarashi in pajamas right at the door, rubbing her eyelids. "Okay, what the hell's going on right here? I'm tryin' to get some sleep . . ."

She blinks. "Oh. Kushina? Naruto? What's going on?"

"Stuff," Naruto says.

I can't help but chuckle at that. That's one way to condense everything that just happened.

"Yeah, stuff."

* * *

"Kurenai Yuhi _has_ been drinking," Anko says at my house. She decided to invite herself over for dinner (after getting dressed, of course), and so it's the four of us here. "It's not something she used to do, just something she started recently. It wouldn't surprise me if Sakura's the reason why, I haven't spoken to Kurenai much but she's strongly implied that Sakura's a handful when I have."

This doesn't surprise me, but it doesn't make me feel better either. I don't know Kurenai that well myself but she seemed like a nice, controlled person, someone who was perfectly suited for teaching genin. Sakura must have a severe case of anger displacement or something, why would she abuse her own instructor otherwise?

"Good thing she isn't on our team then, Anko," Naruto says. "You'd be drinking too right now."

Anko chuckles lightly. "I'd probably go gray prematurely too."

"She needs help," I say. "I saw her eyes when she was walking away. She clearly needs help, maybe even _wants_ help, and doesn't know how to ask for it."

"Well, if she keeps doing this, I'll tell her to ask for help, how's that?" Naruto asks.

"You don't need to be so blunt, Naruto," I reply. "And where did that little outburst come from anyway? Never heard you talk like that before?"

Naruto chuckles awkwardly. "Well, um . . ."

"He's done it a few times, go into these massive speeches," Anko says. "It's cute."

"_Cute_?" Naruto asks in disbelief. "Oh come on! Can't I be awesome?"

"It's awesome in this cute way," Anko says, clearly teasing considering the mischievous look in her eyes.

Naruto just sighs and then slurps down some of his ramen. "Hmmph. I was hoping I was making some kind of point there. Which reminds me, Anko . . ."

Suddenly Naruto stares right into Anko's eyes, and he looks _dead_ serious. "Why didn't you tell me Mom was still alive?"

"Oh boy, this just got serious," Fuu groans from in front of me. She's facing me, and Naruto is facing Anko.

Anko hesitates for a moment. "Well . . . to be honest, the old man-uh, I mean the Hokage, requested us to not mention your parents around you. It was basically a law, and there would be a severe punishment if it was broken. He didn't want you to have a negative impression of your mom when she came back home, and he didn't want you feeling pressure because your father was the 4th Hokage."

"So even you couldn't mention anything to me?" Naruto asks.

Anko looks down. "I wanted to, Naruto, but . . . it's kind of hard to explain what happened twelve years ago, you know? Without putting your mom in a bad light. The old geezer-erm, the 3rd Hokage made it pretty clear to me that your mom was still alive and he didn't want you to have a bad impression of her without meeting her first. And I didn't want to be separated from you either. You weren't alone anymore and I wasn't going to let that happen again."

Naruto sighs. "Okay, I guess. You were still gone half the time though."

Anko gives Naruto a weird, lopsided grin. "It's called 'making money', Naruto. Didn't have much of a choice."

Naruto returns that weird, lopsided grin. "Yeah, I know."

"It all worked out in the end," I say. Hopefully I can break the ice here. We're all tired and exhausted and we should just be enjoying ourselves and not arguing at the table.

Naruto smiles. "Yeah, that's what matters, right?"

"Exactly," I reply.

Naruto looks down. "I . . . I meant it, Mom, when I said all that stuff back there."

"Naruto, it's okay, you don't need to-"

"Mom, I really need to tell you this," Naruto says, looking back up, right at me. "Especially now, when it's stuck in my head, and I don't know if I'll have the guts to tell you later, okay?"

"Uh, sure?" I ask. I'm not sure what Naruto is going for here.

"Mom . . . this was a long time ago . . . but . . . I actually hated you for a while," Naruto says softly.

"Naruto, it's okay, I understand-"

"Mom, please!" Naruto pleads.

I guess nothing is going to stop Naruto from saying what he wants to say. I just want to tell him that he doesn't need to say anything at all, that I understand. That I expected something like this anyway.

"When . . . when people were picking on me, when they went after me because they wanted to 'learn' me or whatever, they did mention you. They made you sound like this horrible person, Mom. So . . . for a long time, I had this image of you in my head . . . like you were some hideous monster of a person. And I . . . I wanted to think that you weren't ugly or evil, but . . . it was really hard to not think that, Mom."

He grips his water glass and downs most of it in one gulp. He looks at me. "That's why you mean so much to me, Mom. You're nothing like I thought you would be. Seeing who you _really_were just made me so happy, Mom. And that's why I want to make you proud of me, too."

"Naruto, I'm already proud of you. You don't need to try so hard."

Naruto sighs. "Yeah, but you try hard all the time too, Mom. You do nothing but try hard for everyone. That's why I hate it so much when people pick on you and you just take it like you think you deserve it. You don't deserve it, Mom. You never have."

Naruto has really nice words, but even though he's trying, he doesn't really understand. Not as much as he thinks he does. "Naruto, you can argue whether it was the demon or me who attacked Konoha twelve years ago, but I lost control of the demon. I'm still responsible for what happened. It's not your responsibility to worry about me, Naruto."

"Somebody's gotta worry about you, Mom," Naruto says, half-smiling. "You came home with your clothes all torn up. It's pretty obvious you're getting beaten up."

"It shouldn't be you, Naruto. You're twelve years old. You're not a chuunin yet."

"I'll be a chuunin in a couple of months, Mom," Naruto says. "Believe it."

That confidence. Reminds me of . . . of how I was, when I was his age. When my sensei was wishing me and my teammates off, and I promised her I would become a chuunin myself, despite all of the rain making the surface a wreck and that my exams were in a foreign village, Ame. Anko chuckles. "I'm sure there's a lot of people who'll want to become a chuunin instead of you for sure."

"Yeah, I want to become a chuunin too," Fuu says. "I'm gonna be facing off against you, Naruto."

"Don't matter. Anyone who tries to stop me is going down. Especially if it's pretty boy Sasuke, I'm lookin' forward to facing him in the Exams," Naruto says. "He's pretty good but I think I've gotten better."

There we go. I finally managed to change the conversation. While Naruto's words mean a lot, I . . . I just wish he'll know someday that I . . .

Well . . .

I should be grateful that he loves me. He doesn't have to. Many children would be far less forgiving of me and my mistakes.

That's what makes Naruto special. He wants to see the best in everyone and wants to motivate people to show off nothing but the best. That's a rare quality in a human being.

That's why he needs to grow up with these ideals still in his heart. So he can make the next generation better and safer than my own.

I know you can do it, Naruto. Right now you may just be boasting towards Anko and Fuu right now, but I can see you wearing the Hokage cloak someday.

No. That's not right.

I _will_ see you in the cloak your father wore someday, Naruto. I can see the potential in you. You may have started off a straggler, but that's just motivated you to work harder. I need to play a role in this too, so you can be ready to pass the exams and move onto the next stage of your life.

Sometime soon, when you're ready . . . I will teach you your father's technique, Naruto, and you will make the Rasenganyour own.

"Naruto," I say, breaking up the boasting going on.

"Yeah?" Naruto asks.

"I'm not going to go on any more missions until the Chuunin Exams are over. I'm going to stay here and help you with the Chakra Chains, and I'm going to start helping you with wind-nature chakra as well, when Anko isn't training you or when you're on missions. I'll even ask my old sensei if she's willing to do a lesson or two with you. This way you're ready to take the exam the strongest you can be."

"Really?" Naruto asks, clearly surprised.

"So you're going to let Naruto make an attempt with Sasuke and Hinata?" Anko asks, perhaps even more surprised considering the size of her brown eyes right now.

"That's right," I say. I look at Naruto, who is absolutely beaming right now. He doesn't know how hard I'm going to work him yet, but I don't think that will matter to him when it starts. He's determined. Stripped to his core, he will always be determined.

And I need to be the same way, for his sake, if not my own. I'm not going to be so passive about his development anymore. I've got maybe a month left before the Exams. I should be able to teach him something basic regarding a Wind ninjutsu and get him to advance his Chakra Chains skills, combined with Anko's own instruction.

"You have my permission to attempt the Konoha Chuunin Exam, Naruto," I say. "And I will help you so you'll be strong and smart enough to pass. Sounds good to you?"

"You're kidding? Sounds _great_ to me!" Naruto exclaims, his smile so wide it looks like it'll make his face freeze that way.

There we go. Doesn't take too much to make you excited, Naruto.

I've got a couple more things to take care of tomorrow, and then I'll get you on your way.

And someday, you'll be Hokage just like your father, except . . .

Except you'll be Hokage in your own special way. Naruto's way, not Minato's way.

You'll do it, Naruto. I know you can.

I know you _will_.

* * *

Naruto uses Therapy no Jutsu on Sakura! It's super effective . . . or is it? DUN DUN DUN.


	56. First Things First

Thanks for all of the words of support lately. We're almost done. Almost.

* * *

**Chapter Fifty-Six: First Things First**

"I suppose we should call this mission a partial success," Hiruzen says to all of us. The rest of the team returned the next day, along with Might Guy and his genin squad who still had Karin Kozuki. "But it came at a staggering cost. Half the squad dead, Kakashi Hatake, and we are lucky we did not lose Might Guy and his team or, for that matter, the entire village thanks to that flying fortress activating."

"The gas Orochimaru was manufacturing turned out to be more macabre than we dreamed," Kakashi replies. "He seems to be experimenting with new methods and trying to discover this sixth chakra nature, dark chakra, to further his aims. As for the Sky Country relic, that is something to ask Mikoto Uchiha and Kushina Uzumaki. They're the ones that dealt with it."

Hiruzen's eyes narrow, just for a second. He knows exactly what Kakashi is talking about, but I can see his lips narrowing too. He's not going to discuss it. Not with us. It's clearly classified information just like the teppou.

But he's smart enough to not respond vaguely. "I have already gotten a thorough debriefing with Mikoto Uchiha on what happened with the Sky Country fortress known as Ancor Vantian. What matters is that Orochimaru's cleared continued his descent into madness, his ultimate goal being immortality. How much has the prisoner, Karin Kozuki, talked?"

"She's spoken at length about what Orochimaru was doing in the facility," Kakashi replies. "She hasn't said a word about _how_ or _why_, and refuses to say what Orochimaru has planned next. She seemed to be an important girl, I am sure she's heard _something_."

"That is why it is my recommendation to have Torture and Interrogation get to work on her," Yugao Uzuki says. "The sooner she talks, the better off we are."

Hiruzen sighs. "I am reluctant to have Torture and Interrogation work over the girl. She is twelve years old. These are supposed to be better, more moral times, not like the World Wars."

"If she's keeping valuable information from us," Yugao replies, "We need to get it out of her, one way or another, Lord Hokage."

"There's an old saying involving carrots and sticks, Yugao Uzuki," Hiruzen replies curtly. "With children, I believe it is best to offer carrots before the stick."

"In my experience, children don't like to eat their vegetables," Kakashi mumbles.

Hiruzen definitely heard that, he gives Kakashi a _look_.

"Just joking with nobody, Lord Hokage," Kakashi says, his lone visible eye basically telling me all I need to know about his embarrassment by itself.

Hiruzen sighs. "Karin Kozuki being _enticed_ into giving us all of the information she has is an utmost priority. We need to turn her, one way or another."

"You seriously think we could entice her to defect, is that what you're talking about, Lord Hokage?" Yugao asks, shocked. "What could we possibly offer her?"

Yugao Uzuki is good at her job, but she's gotten so lost in it she doesn't remember the human aspects of this village.

"There are many things we could offer her," I reply. "We have to make her believe she will be better off as a kunoichi of Konoha over being Orochimaru's pupil. We also need to show her that what Orochimaru has done over the years is far more than just cool-sounding science experiments. The girl needs to understand that Orochimaru has murdered many lives, directly or indirectly, because of his experiments. Or, rather, that what Orochimaru has done is immoral and twisted."

Yugao folds her own arms. She's clearly skeptical. "How does this get us our information? She's a twelve-year-old girl, Kushina Uzumaki. It'd be faster and less risky to just break her."

Kakashi sighs. "I wouldn't agree with that."

"Why not?" Yugao asks.

"I saw her arms when they were taking her away to her cell. There are scars all over them, look like bite marks," Kakashi replies. "I think this girl is quite used to pain. We'd have to go to advanced torture techniques to get her to talk, most likely, and I don't think most of us want to do _those_ techniques to a young girl if we can avoid it."

Yugao looks down. "I apologize. You're right, Kakashi."

"Our primary concern right now shouldn't be the girl," Hiruzen interrupts. "The girl is just another piece to the puzzle. Same with the Zero-Tails, which, as someone who has seen that creature personally, I'm glad it has been destroyed. Sky Country never got the chance to haunt us."

Hiruzen folds his hands again, his eyes staring at us like daggers. "We need whatever tangible evidence that was gathered from that facility organized and analyzed. If there's codes, they must be broken as soon as possible. Orochimaru is clearly planning something big if he's using the living dead and dark chakra and various other unknown and forbidden techniques and sciences."

"Should we send out teams to other Sky Country wreckage?" Tenzo asks.

"Yes, but not as a high priority. What we need are _locations_," Hiruzen says. "Locations of all of Orochimaru's other facilities. Also, were his underlings wearing anything identifying? Are they disguising themselves as members of a village? We need all of this discovered."

Hiruzen sighs. I've never seen him this animated in a long time, and he's clearly wearing himself out. Orochimaru was Hiruzen's former pupil, and I know that Orochimaru's fall from grace weighs heavily on Hiruzen. To have trained him personally, from when he was just a child, just to see him transform into such an immoral man . . . to know you created what so many people deem to be a _monster_ . . .

I can't imagine how Hiruzen feels about this at all. And yet, because he is the Hokage, he has to be like steel. He can't let it get to him.

Hiruzen looks at them all. "I want this kept from Danzo Shimura and the Council. I trust all of you to honor my wishes on this."

Yugao's eyes widen. "I can understand Danzo Shimura, but why not the Council, Lord Hokage?"

"The Council is fairly open to Danzo Shimura, which will defeat the purpose of keeping this away from Danzo." Hiruzen sighs after a moment, clearly lost in thought before he refocuses. "Danzo is an old friend of mine, but he despises Orochimaru almost beyond reason. It is for Danzo's own good that he does not know of the events that transpired in Orochimaru's isle or of the Zero-Tails. Danzo will burn the world to find Orochimaru if he had to, and I'm not ready to sacrifice what Danzo will feel is necessary to sacrifice."

Yugao nods. "I understand, Lord Hokage. Tenzo and I will ensure that only trusted ANBU operatives without connections to Danzo Shimura are entrusted to this information."

"You're calling me 'Tenzo' too," Tenzo groans. "Why won't anyone just call me 'Yamato' like I want?"

"Sometimes you don't get what you want, Tenzo," Kakashi says.

Tenzo just groans again.

Hiruzen barks out orders in a sharp, clear voice. "Kakashi Hatake and Genma Shiranui, the two of you will work with Mikoto Uchiha and any other trusted individuals you may know and peg out any claims towards Orochimaru's whereabouts. Yugao, you and Yamato will begin the ANBU operations. Both teams will work together as needed. I want Orochimaru found as soon as possible."

There's a resounding "Yes, Lord Hokage!" from everyone, including Mikoto. When Hiruzen is like this, there is no arguing with him. Just loyalty and execution.

"You are all dismissed. Work quickly, the Chuunin Exams will be upon us soon, and that will divert resources," Hiruzen says.

As everyone departs, I realize that someone has been left out of Hiruzen's orders. Me.

"What about me, Lord Hokage?" I ask.

Hiruzen smiles. "You think you can somehow save Orochimaru's little disciple. I'm placing you in charge of that, Kushina Uzumaki. You have until the start of the Chuunin Exams to turn Karin Kozuki, so that is roughly a month. Otherwise, we'll have to employ more drastic measures I don't want to do."

Wait, _what_? "You want _me_ in charge of interrogating this girl, Hiru, er, Lord Hokage? You know I don't make a good 'bad cop'! A-And there's also-"

"Kushina, you have practically turned Fuu into a Konoha genin in all but official capacities," Hiruzen interrupts. "Don't think I and others have not noticed that. And, as we're in private, you have my permission to call me 'Hiruzen'. That will never change."

I never looked at it that way. I . . . I know Fuu views me as a mother figure, especially after what the Zero-Tails made me see of Fuu's past and Fuu's desires. But . . .

The image of an older Fuu, wearing a chuunin flak vest, and her forehead protector clearly a Konoha leaf instead of a Taki arrow . . . I still remember that image. I also remember Fuu sees myself right next to her, like she's trying on the uniform for the first time, and I'm proud of her, like a mother proud of her child . . .

Fuu so badly wants . . .

Hiruzen is right. I _have_ turned Fuu into a Konoha ninja in all but name only.

"I suppose I have, Hiruzen," I manage.

"I realize the situations and the subjects are both different, but I am curious to see if you can pull a similar trick again," Hiruzen says.

"It's going to be harder now that I know I'm pulling a trick," I say.

Hiruzen shakes his head, and I see him smile slightly. "You don't need to pull any tricks. However you managed to make Fuu clearly desire to become one of us, you need to do to the Karin girl. No tricks. Just be yourself. If you know anyone else who can assist you in this, feel free to bring them in. Like I said, you have a month."

He's not giving me any other choice. The only option is something neither Hiruzen or I truly want. And I don't think Karin wants it either.

I guess I have no choice . . .

But, at the same time . . . as long as Hiruzen is making me do this, I think he owes me a favor, now that he reminded me of the Zero-Tails too.

"Hiruzen, I need you to track down all of the people I wounded twelve years ago," I say. "And the families of those who were killed that night or those who died of their wounds over the last twelve years. I want them summoned to the Hokage memorial this evening . . . I guess around seven o'clock. I have something to say to them . . . _all_ of them."

Hiruzen doesn't say anything. He just stares at me calmly for a second. Then he speaks, his voice laced with a hint of concern. "You're finally ready, aren't you?"

"I am ready," I say. "What the last mission showed me is that I've been running away still, this entire time. I can't do that anymore. I'm ready to seek forgiveness and redemption over what I have done. I am ready to help those I have hurt, to help those who have lost someone precious to them because of what I did. I know that all I can offer them tonight are my words . . . but I can turn it into action, once I have seen them, once they have gotten the chance to speak to me as well."

"I see," Hiruzen says. "I am glad you're finally taking initative on this, Kushina."

"I finally learned that I have to," I reply. I try to smile, but it hurts to. I know this is not a happy occasion. It's something that I am sure is just going to give me more pain, but . . .

But, once the pain is over, there'll just be relief. And then I can work on making everything better.

Hiruzen nods. "I understand. I'll have the notices and preparations begin immediately. Please go home and get some rest, Kushina. I am sure you need time to prepare your remarks."

"Actually," I say, "I'm going to visit someone first. Someone I've put off seeing for a very long time. I learned I can't run from _people_ other, not just the consequences of my actions."

Hiruzen raises an eyebrow. "Oh? You're going to meet Hibino, then?"

"Yes, Hibino-sensei," I reply. "I just hope she won't kill me when she sees me again. I'm the only one of my three-man squad still alive, and I don't think I've done my sensei proud."

"Hibino has become more forgiving as the years have passed," Hiruzen replies. "I think you're overestimating her anger."

A nice thing to say, but Hiruzen never had Hibino as a sensei. He only had Hibino-sensei as pretty much a babysitter for the Sannin when Hiruzen had Hokage duties prevent him from training his students.

"I hope you're right, Hiruzen. I really hope you're right."

* * *

Hibino-sensei has always lived in the same little house close to the border of the village. It's another long walk, but I don't mind. It's a school day so all of the kids are in the academy, so I don't get to hear shouts of "Monster lady!" or get stuff thrown at me for a change.

Thinking about that reminds me of Jiraiya moaning about how he's lost "the younger generation" back in the Land of Snow. Jiraiya doesn't know what that truly feels like. Still, I'm hoping I can finally fix that. I can't just sit around feeling sorry for myself anymore. I should've learned that lesson the first time four years ago. The consequences of me just letting myself wallowing in despair was the abandonment of my child who needed (and badly wanted) a parent. It strengthened the enmity of the common villagers against me and increased resentment and cost me respect among the active ninja. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

The truth is, isolating myself and wanting to hide from everyone has helped nobody. I can't do that anymore. The only hope for me or anyone else to heal is to finally get over myself and open back up to this village.

And to those who may not be so fond of me anymore.

Hibino-sensei has been a figure particularly easy to avoid. She was the Leaf's ambassador to several foreign lands up until a couple of years ago. Now she's retired and mostly tends to raising her children. Hibino-sensei gave birth late in life, her first child came at forty-two years old. Her youngest child, a girl named Kaeko, is only a year younger than Naruto, and is the only one of her children pursuing a ninja career. Of course, Kaeko's going to need to graduate and then try to impress a jonin-sensei first, but . . .

But . .

I can't believe I know this and have not met Hibino-sensei personally for the last twelve years.

Really, what does that say about me?

Oh wait, there she is.

Right outside her front door, dressed in loose, casual clothing, her long, graying blonde hair flowing freely down her back, much like mine does.

Guess I know where I got my taste in hairstyle and fashion.

Her gray eyes turn to look at me, and I feel my face heat up and my heart begin to slam against my chest. She noticed me already.

Damn it. I didn't even have the chance to rehearse what I was gonna say.

"H-Hi, Hibino-sensei. Long time . . ."

Nice one, Kushina. Real nice.

Hibino-sensei just sighs. "Yes, Kushina. Twelve years, as a matter of fact."

So she's kept count too. Lovely.

Come on, walk towards her. There's nothing to be afraid of. Hibino-sensei is not a threat, she's a friend you need to re-connect with.

"I. . . I'm sorry, for, um, not talking to you for a long time. I . . . Hibino-sensei . . ."

Damn it, just spit it out, Kushina. What are you afraid of?

"Hibino-sensei, I just felt ashamed of myself and I feel like I shamed you too and I didn't want you to reminded of how much I've screwed things up! I'm sorry! I should've gotten over myself-"

"Kushina, it's all right." I look and I see Hibino walking up towards me.

"It is?" I ask dumbly.

"Yes."

The Hibino raises her hand and slaps me across the face.

Damn it, that stings! Just as much as it did when she slapped me when I was a genin!

"That's for attacking the village!" She raises her left hand then . . .

Oh, this is gonna hurt-

Other cheek this time. Ow.

"And that is for running away like a coward! You didn't need to do that, Kushina! You had a lot of people willing to vouch for you back then! You running off cost you a lot of respect around here!"

"You . . . you don't think I've realized that, Hibino-sensei?" I ask.

For some reason, that makes her eyes soften. She just sighs. "Of course you have. You're not as stubborn as you used to be, that much I can see."

Hibino-sensei's voice is still fairly smooth, but in this conditioned way. I get the impression she practices her voice every day in front of the mirror, trying desperately to hold onto this last youthful element of herself. She is clearly healthy but she is definitely developing wrinkles around her eyes, forehead, and mouth, and her hair is streaked with gray. Her voice is the only thing that hasn't begun to surrender to aging, and I don't think she plans on that happening for a few more years.

"You know me," I manage. "I . . . I thought the village would be better off without me, Hibino-sensei. I thought Naruto would be better off, too. I'm sorry. All I was doing was being an idiot."

Hibino-sensei shakes her head. "If there's one thing I regret, it's not taking Naruto in. But I was busy maintaining our alliance in Suna. In hindsight, _anyone_ could have done that. I should've made sure Naruto was okay. _That_ is something I apologize for."

"It's all right," I reply. "I understand, Hibino-sensei."

Hibino-sensei looks away for a moment. "We can have tea inside, and reconnect there. Is that all right or are you in some kind of rush?"

"Not in any rush right now, Hibino-sensei. We can have tea together."

"Thank you. I just feel more comfortable inside, that's all."

Hibino-sensei turns and begins walking towards her door. "Trust me, I understand," I say.

I follow her inside.

* * *

Hibino-sensei looks at me with a nearly-forlorn look. "You've hardly aged a day since we last saw each other in person. The old Uzumaki vitality, hard at work. I admit that I'm envious."

That's another reason why people don't like me. Being from the Uzumaki clan, my aging is slowed down, and I'll live a longer life than most of the villagers here. Naruto will likely be the same way, along with larger chakra reserves than usual the slowed aging process is a bloodline trait. So people aren't exactly thrilled I'm guaranteed to outlive them, and will hold onto my youthful appearance for at least another decade or so before I finally start to show signs of aging.

"You're not alone in that type of thinking," I say. "To the people angry at me, it's salt on the wound I'll live a longer life than they and that I still appear young. I understand why they think that way. I probably don't deserve it."

Hibino-sensei smiles solemnly. "You really have changed, Kushina. The genin I taught would never say or even _think_ things like that."

"I guess I finally grew up," I reply.

"Growing up doesn't mean you have to be sad all the time," Hibino-sensei replies. "You had 'grown up' quite nicely, you had stayed true to yourself and your principles after you became a jonin."

"I'm trying to not be depressed," I reply. "I really am. I'm not going to let what happened twelve years ago continue to dictate my life, Hibino-sensei. That's why I came here to reconnect with you. That is why I plan on speaking to all of the surviving wounded and the families of those who've died because of me. I'm ready to _live_, Hibino-sensei."

Hibino-sensei nods. "Never too late to do that. Look at me, I'm almost sixty but my eldest child is still a teenager. For a long time, I doubted whether I would have _any_ children. I now have three of them."

"You're braver than I am. I only have Naruto and he's a handful sometimes."

Hibino-sensei smiles, this time genuinely, almost happy. "He's a good young man. He has the same ideals you had when you were his age. I hope he doesn't have those ideals and dreams beaten out of him."

"I'm trying to make sure they don't," I reply.

"What kind of dreams does he have?" Hibino-sensei asks.

"He wants to become Hokage."

Hibino-sensei pauses, and then she leans back in her chair and starts _laughing_. Laughing so hard she's holding her ribs.

"What's so funny?" I ask.

Hibino-sensei stops laughing long enough to give me an odd look. "Like mother, like son. You couldn't stop talking about the exact same thing! You wanted to be the first female Hokage!"

I had almost forgotten about that. No wonder I identify with and support Naruto's dream so much. I had desired the exact same thing for myself when I was Naruto's age.

"I did, didn't I?" I finally say.

Hibino-sensei stares at me for a second. "You truly have changed, Kushina. The old you would've laughed this one off."

"I'm sorry."

Hibino-sensei sighs. "But it isn't just your personality that's changed. A lot of about you is _different_. You're also significantly stronger, I can tell just by looking at you. No, I can even _sense_ it."

"Basically the day I saw the Hokage again I got promoted to S-rank," I reply. "He saw the same things you're sensing now."

"Your designation of 'S-rank' surprised me when I found out about it," Hibino-sensei says. "You were always an A-rank, even twelve years ago. But your proficency in Wind ninjutsu and Minato's Rasengan technique, in addition to what you could already do, it makes complete sense. I'm actually interested in how you learned Wind ninjutsu in particular."

"I picked up some books on Wind ninjutsu and practiced," I reply.

"That simple, huh?" Hibino-sensei replies.

She's suspicious for some reason. "That's really all I did, Hibino-sensei. During my travels alone I noticed I could do some minor wind chakra tricks and decided to hone them."

"Hmm." Hibino-sensei seems to study me for a second. It's an odd look I don't really feel comfortable with.

"What?" I finally ask.

"Has your seal ever been messed with, Kushina Uzumaki? I was told that the seal containing the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox had to be reinforced twelve years ago."

"Minato himself repaired and reinforced the seal," I reply. "He said that to me right before his last breaths."

That brings back the imagery of Minato, bloodied with his right arm completely severed, trying desperately to tell me what I needed to know before he passed on. I have to blink it away to keep it from overwhelming me.

Hibino-sensei gets up from the table and walks up to me. "Really. This is interesting."

"What is?" I ask.

"I'm not sure if this has occurred to you, Kushina, but when you were training with me you couldn't do wind ninjutsu at all. You had no talent for it, or even the potential to learn it just through hard work. Your chakra nature was fire, one-hundred-percent, besides your Chakra Chains. And yet, that is exactly what Minato Namikaze's chakra nature was. Wind."

"What are you trying to say?" I ask.

"I'm wondering if Minato did something to you when he reinforced your seal," Hibino-sensei says. "I am a seal specialist myself, they wouldn't let anyone who wasn't be your sensei, Kushina. I could find out if Minato altered your chakra when he reinforced your seal twelve years ago."

"Even if he did, why does it matter?" I ask. "He was my husband. He loved me. He wouldn't have done something if it was going to hurt me or worse."

"Kushina, if he interfered with your chakra nature-"

"If I'm not going to die or have my life cut short, it doesn't matter to me. If Minato bestowed wind nature chakra on me, it's probably for a good reason."

"But Kushina, if he did this, you're the recipient of a forbidden technique!"

"It doesn't matter, Hibino-sensei! Stop it!"

Hibino-sensei's gray eyes widen, and then she looks away. "Sorry. Perhaps I am overthinking this. It just doesn't make any sense to me otherwise."

"I don't want to be afraid of myself anymore, Hibino-sensei. Or afraid of others. My fear of your wrath over what I've done is what's kept me away from you for all of these years. My fear of myself is what kept me away from Konoha and my child for nearly as long. All this is doing is making me scared of myself all over again."

Hibino-sensei sighs. "I understand. But I highly suggest that when you're ready you let me have a look at your seal."

"Right now, I'm not ready," I reply. "It's going to be hard enough to come up with the guts to talk to all of these people at the Hokage memorial tonight."

"I see." Hibino-sensei suddenly gives me a mischievous smirk. "Might as well look my best then."

"Eh?" Then it hits me. Oh no, not the-

A blast wave of chakra crashes against me, nearly knocking me from my chair. I see a white aura hover around Hibino-sensei, and quickly, like clockwork, the years vanish from her face and hands, and her body seems to shoot up a couple of inches. Her long hair seems to grow even longer and straight, and the gray vanishes.

_Humans. Always so vain._

That's what you say _every_ time Hibino-sensei does the Body Idealization technique, beast. Even when she first demonstrated in front of our eyes years and years ago. It wasn't funny the first time.

The aura vanishes, and Hibino looks like a young woman again. Perhaps even younger-looking than me. "Well then, now you're not the only woman around here who looks good for her age."

"Hibino-sensei, you don't even look _half_ your age," I manage.

"That's precisely the point! This form is _perfect_ for spying on my idiot teenagers! I fit right into their cliques, yo!"

Do kids these days even say "yo" at the end of their sentences? No, don't argue. Let Hibino-sensei have her moment. It's for my own good, especially when she's all energetic like this.

But then Hibino-sensei's eyes narrow and the goofy smile vanishes. "Actually, it's for your safety. I don't feel right letting you talk in front of people who hate you without a bodyguard. I've lost too many steps, Kushina. I can't fight without the Body Idealization Technique and one chakra gate being opened."

"I-I can understand that," I say.

Hibino-sensei takes a deep breath and exhales loudly. "Damn it, this is better than a pot of coffee! This is why I don't take this form too often, it's too easy to get addicted to it."

"I can see why," I reply.

Hibino-sensei grins broadly. She reminds me of Anko a little when she's like this. "All right, I've got your back. Let's get your remarks ready for tonight. You're going to have a lot of people watching you."

Yeah. I know. I hurt a lot of people, Hibino-sensei.

I just hope I'm not going to pour more salt on their wounds by speaking to them . . .

* * *

There's at least three hundred people around the Hokage memorial when I arrive. It's dead silence. All of them, staring at me. Men, women, children. Grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, husbands, wives, cousins.

Some look curious. Others seem nervous. Many just _glare_ at me. I sense that only the Hokage standing right by the memorial, right by where I was going to be standing, is keeping the most aggressive ones restrained.

This is a lot more than one-hundred-and-eight people. At least three hundred, maybe even more. The majority of them are civilians or appear to be civilians, which cuts even more deeply. That means the people I hurt the most were the most innocent of all.

No wonder ordinary civilians were the ones who wanted to "learn" my son the most. It wouldn't surprise me if some of the faces in this crowd had gone after my son because he got on their nerves one day. Naruto was a reminder to them of the pain, terror, and helplessness they had all felt, and Naruto goofing around just poured salt on their 're all silent. I am sure Hiruzen had told them all to be silent and allow me to speak. That's the only reason why I'm not being yelled at right now. There's a few kids shouting "Monster lady!" on and off, but they're being hushed.

Now that I'm staring at them all, it's quite clear that I can't just say "Good evening" or something to break the ice. Such a greeting would be insulting to them. Damn it, what can I say to them? How can I even begin?

Hiruzen looks at me. "Are you ready, Kushina?"

"Y-Yes." I have no choice. I really don't.

_You're going to blame me for it, I'm sure._

Ignore it. Ignore the Nine-Tails. Just try to concentrate. Step forward, and say what you need to say.

Stupid heart, beating so hard and fast. I feel like I can hardly breathe.

I never told Naruto what I was planning on doing tonight. I didn't want him to worry about me, or interrupt what I have to say. But now, I wish he was here. I wish I had his emotional support. He is the one person I know who will always unconditionally love me and forgive me, regardless of whether I deserve it or not. That's special, to be loved that deeply.

Damn it, say something. Say _anything_.

"I . . . I have met some of you before, but I have never met all of you at once like this. For those who have not yet met me, my . . . my name is Kushina Uzumaki, and I am the jinchuuriki of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. When I was a child . . . I . . . I was brought here from the Hidden Eddy Village, Uzushio, to become this village's protector, taking Mito Uzumaki's place. Ever since then, the job of protecting this village, and its inhabitants, has fallen to _me_, because of the power I have inside me."

I . . . I can't continue on with this history lesson. All it's doing it making me think of Minato. I can see his face floating in and out of my vision as I'm talking, because this was _his_ village. I was the protector of my husband's village, and I . . .

"I . . . I have done a terrible job of living up to my responsibility."

"No shit, bitch!"

A glare from Hiruzen silences the ruckus before it can begin. Damn it, why did someone have to shout at me already? I'm just trying to . . . to . . .

What? Apologize? Ask for forgiveness? Vow to redeem myself? All of it together?

Where am I going with this?

"My responsibility . . . first and foremost, is to protect _you_. The ordinary villagers, who make a living inside these walls, who support _us_, the kunoichi and shinobi. You trust in this village's ability to protect you from any threats that exist, and I am supposed to be the central reason that is true. The strongest known Tailed Beast in the world, the Nine-Tailed Fox, is within me, and through both raw power and deterrence, I reinforce this village's defenses and ninja."

Where am I going with this? I should've worked on my remarks more closely, I'm already swinging off the cuff.

"Twelve years ago . . . I betrayed your trust in me. The circumstances don't matter. Whether it was me or the demon inside me that rampaged doesn't matter. What matters is that I betrayed you. All of you, including my husband, the 4th Hokage. And instead of facing up to the consequences of my attack, I chose to run away. And that, ultimately . . . ultimately was the worst decision I could have possibly made."

I'm finding it. I'm finding my direction, my voice. It helps that the crowd is remaining silent. They're not interrupting me. They're listening, or at least letting me talk.

"I could've ended this twelve years ago by staying here and trying to live up to my duties as jinchuuriki. Instead, I ran away. I ran away like a coward, away from you, away from my child, away from my husband, whose corpse was lying in the middle of the woods. I failed all of you, and I failed myself, because I ran away. Even now, four years after returning . . . I think I've still been running all this time. And that's something I can't do anymore . . . something I should never have done in the first place."

Finish it. Finish what you have to say. _Need_ to say.

"That is why I'm facing all of you, the people who've been hurt, directly or indirectly, by me. I'm going to face the consequences of what I've done. I am not going to run away from the people I am protecting any longer. I want to redeem myself, and I want to help _all_ of you heal from the pain I've given you . . . because all of you, and everyone else in my village, from my child to the Hokage himself, rely on _me_. I'm not going to let Konoha down anymore. And I'm not going to let you down either . . . because I love this village, my husband's village, and for his memory and in the memory of all who've died because of me, I will lay down my life to keep it safe. Count on it."

Is there anything else to say? What else can I . . .

"So . . . so I apologize, completely and sincerely, for what I have done to this village and what I have done to _you_ and/or your loved ones. I don't know if what I've done is a forgivable offense . . . but if you wish to forgive me, I will work hard to prove I'm worthy of _you_, all of you, no matter who you are, no matter what it takes."

That's it. I can't go on any longer. "Thank you, all of you, for being here and listening to me. My promise is that I will prove myself worthy of protecting you once again . . . and I will do whatever it takes to make sure none of you are hurt or killed because of me ever again. I swear it on my life."

I turn and walk away, leaving the crowd behind.

All I hear is silence.

I don't know whether that's a good thing or not.

I'm not so sure I do.

After my speech, I find out that exactly one family had not attended my speech. The Harunos. They never showed, or were even spotted in the village itself.

I guess it's not exactly a surprise. Sakura has never been inclined to forgive me, and who knows how her parents feel or what their condition is. I'm right in front of the Haruno residence right now. They are the last family I have not apologized to, and perhaps they are the ones in the biggest need of hearing it.

Hibino-sensei is still with me. She places a hand on my shoulder. "You really want to do this alone, Kushina?"

"Yes, Hibino-sensei. You can stand outside if you wish, but I need to do this on my own. I don't want to give Sakura the impression that I'm afraid of her."

Hibino-sensei sighs. "Have it your way, Kushina. But I will be right here, and if something happens I will not wait to help you."

"I understand. Thank you, Hibino-sensei. This is going above and beyond."

"You may be S-rank and I'll never go beyond A-rank but I'm still your sensei. I'm still going to help you, Kushina. All you need to do is ask."

"Thank you. Now . . . now let me do this."

I stare up at their house. A light is still on. Somebody in the house is still awake, anyway.

Is Sakura home right now? If she's not, are her parents even capable of answering the door? Do I even want Sakura to be here right now?

I don't know.

There's only one way to find out.

I take my right hand, and softly knock on the door.

_Thump thump thump._


	57. Fallen Leaves

I've opted to finish the story right now, so this is going to be part of a multi-chapter barrage.

Hibino Iwasaki, who is basically the only significant original character in this story (as Kushina's sensei has never been named in canon), is based on the physical appearance of famous voice-actress Wendee Lee (albeit with Kushina-length hair). Hibino's voice is also based on Lee's voice.

Anyway, no more cliffhangers. No more tediousness. Just closure.

* * *

**Chapter Fifty-Seven: Fallen Leaves**

Silence from the other end. I hear nothing, not a single voice, not a single footstep. Just no reaction at all.

Dead silence.

A chill goes down my spine. There's a light on, but it's like no one is home.

I'm not going to let this intimidate me. Everyone saw me apologize but the Haruno family. I am not avoiding these people any longer. And I won't let myself be scared of Sakura.

I knock again. _Thump thump thump._

Come on. Come on. Don't make me make a racket trying to get your attention.

Then, softly, slowly, the door opens a few cracks.

And then I see Sakura Haruno.

Her green eyes glare at me, in this darkness, they look almost feral with the reflection of the lamppost outside gleaming in her pupils.

Her voice is low and forced, like she is talking through clenched teeth. "What . . . what the hell are _you_ doing here?"

"I have come to apologize to your parents, Sakura."

"They don't need to hear your half-assed apology, Kushina. It's not going to do either of them any good," Sakura growls.

"I want to see them," I reply. "I _need_ to see them, so I can finally understand what it is that I've done to your parents . . . what I have done to _you_, Sakura."

Sakura's eyes seem to light up. "You're pitying me."

Damn it. That's not how I feel at all! "I am not pitying you, Sakura. I am just amazed you've been able to hold onto this house without a breadwinner. You must work really hard."

Sakura chuckles softly, bitterly. "You really think I'm going to believe what you're spewing right now?"

"Sakura-"

"Forget it! You can take your sentimental crap and shove it up your-"

"Sakura?"

A deep male voice, breathy and labored, from behind Sakura.

Sakura's eyes widen and she spins around. "Dad! Dad, don't come over here! Please! It's nothing!"

"Your voice doesn't make it sound like it's nothing." His voice is calm . . . really calm and patient, yet it resonates. Nothing like his daughter's voice.

Behind his voice, I hear a soft _squeak_ and roll. A wheelchair.

So I crippled Sakura's father at the least from the waist down. If it hurt him _that_ badly, I can't imagine what I've done to Sakura's mother. Has to be just as bad, if not worse.

"Dad! Look, there's no need to come over here-"

I can't just stand here like an idiot. I'm taking the initiative! I have to meet them both! I have to know what I've done!

I take the door and force it wide open, and Sakura gasps as she spins back around to look at me.

I take a step inside. "Mr. Haruno, my name is Kushina Uzumaki, the jinchuuriki of Konoha! I injured you and your wife twelve years ago, and I've come to apologize and make amends for what I've done to the both of you and your daughter!"

I still can't see Mr. Haruno, but I can hear his voice. "Well . . . Kushina Uzumaki."

A pause. "Come in."

"Thank you, Mr. Haruno."

"Please, call me Kisashi. My wife's name is Mebuki."

"Thank you."

I turn back towards Hibino-sensei, who's still standing by the street, carefully watching my every move. I give her the thumbs-up, and she nods and smiles. "Good luck," she offers.

"Thank you. I'll let you know how it goes," I reply. I turn back towards the house and take a deep breath.

Okay, I've managed to get this far. Now let's head inside-

Sakura's grabbed my arm. Her grip is tight. Really tight.

Her eyes glare at me with the intensity of the sun itself. "You so much as breathe in a way I don't like, I'm throwing you outta here."

Kisashi's voice. "Sakura, please do not threaten Kushina Uzumaki. Her reason for being here is noble."

"Yes, Dad," Sakura says in a near-growl. She lets me go and she stomps away into one of the darkened rooms, a room where Kisashi's voice is not coming from.

I walk through the house. I see a faint glow beyond the main hallway. I get the sense from the _cracks_ in the wood floor that this place badly needs maintenance. Maybe that's why there's so few lights on, so I can't see how run-down the building's become.

This is not a home. A home should be much nicer than this. A home would have more lights.

I've sentenced these people to live this way. All because I couldn't keep control of the Nine-Tails. All because my desire for death and revenge overtook everything else I hold dear. One temper tantrum, and the repercussions are clearly nothing short of suffering.

I walk into the end off the hallway, and look to my right, towards the glow. There's this strong, perfumed scent in the room, like I've fallen into the middle of a giant raspberry bush, with a different, more _fleshy_ scent underneath it. It's unnerving and makes me want to gag.

There's a bookshelf to the right, crammed with old books. Otherwise, there is not much else besides a pair of beds, and one of them looks like it's occupied.

Then I see Kisashi.

He is indeed sitting in a wheelchair, covered more bandages than clothing. I stare down at his hands, and his right hand looks like a bulging stump more than anything else, and his left hand only has one finger and his thumb, everything else looks like it was amputated. He is clearly covered in burns, or, perhaps, his body looks like it could have been _crushed_.

"Kisashi Haruno," I manage.

The older man seems to try to smile. I can see his long, stringy hair now. "Kushina Uzumaki. You are courageous to come here. My wife doubted you would ever have the bravery to meet us, but I thought better of you than that."

"Oh?" A female voice, sounds withered and exhausted, like she's coming from another room, but she's clearly behind Kisashi. "Kushina Uzumaki . . . here?"

"Yes," Kisashi says. "Kushina Uzumaki is here."

"Oh . . ."

Nothing else comes from the woman's mouth.

"Can I . . . can I turn on some lights besides the one you have on in the corner?" I ask. "I feel really awkward standing here with so much dim light."

"Please, don't," moans the woman who undoubtedly has to be Mebuki Haruno. "I don't want anyone to see me like this."

Damn it. She must be hurt worse than her husband. What did I do to this woman?

"Mebuki . . . I have to see," I say. "Please. I need to see what I have done to you. So I can understand . . . finally understand, the horrible things I have done to you."

I can see Kisashi turn his head to look at his bedridden wife. "Well, Mebuki?"

Silence from the woman, just for a second. Then an airy "Fine. Go ahead. But only for a moment."

Without taking my eyes off of Mebuki and Kisashi, I fumble for the main lightswitch, and finally turn it on.

Then I see them.

Kisashi I had been able to brace myself for. He has clearly been burned, burned horrifically, easily first-and-second degree. Bandages are all over him, with only part of his face and some of his right shoulder and parts of his legs not looking like he needs them.

But Mebuki . . . Mebuki . . .

Her eyes are _gone_.

So is her nose.

And . . . and . . . her ears.

And her lips.

My God. How is she still alive?

They were clearly in the middle of changing her bandages, that's why I can see so much. She's burned _everywhere_. Burned to a near-husk. Almost the entirety of her body. Just burned, burned to the point where she hardly looks human anymore.

No wonder . . . no wonder she doesn't want the lights on.

What did I do to this poor woman?

Turn the light off. Turn it off. I've embarrassed her enough.

Where is it? Where's the light-oh, there it is.

The light mercifully vanishes, leaving just the dim corner light on.

What did . . . what did I just see?

"I'm . . . I'm so sorry . . ." Is that my voice? It sounds so choked and distant.

"Please . . . please tell me what I've done to you," I say. I lean on the wall so I won't fall on my knees. "Neither of you . . . or Sakura, deserve this. Not at all."

"You tell her . . ." Mebuki says, clearly to Kisashi. "I . . . I don't have the energy for this . . ."

"I see," Kisashi replies. His lone visible eye turns to stare at me. "What you did, Kushina . . . or the demon did, I don't know . . . you smashed the house and set it on fire right when we were evacuating. Mebuki was crushed under burning wood and steel, keeping Sakura shielded the entire time. I forced myself to dig my way through and pull them out. Mercifully, Sakura was unharmed, but Mebuki . . . so much of her was burned and on fire . . . the medical-nin were amazed she survived. She lost . . . she lost far more than I did."

I've sentenced them both to hell. A living hell. That's what these poor people are living right now. No wonder Sakura hates me so much. No wonder _everyone_ hates me. All they have to do is see what I've turned the Haruno family into and . . . and . . .

Even Naruto would hate me if he saw this, I'm sure. And I deserve that. I've condemned these people to lives of endless suffering and pain, and I've done _nothing_ to try and help them. Or their daughter.

I truly am a monster.

_So you finally admit who the monster is here. I'm amazed it took you more than twelve years to figure it out._

Beast, leave me alone. Please.

_You're not denying that I'm right._

Stay out of this!

What do I do? What do I say? An apology doesn't work here! This goes far beyond an apology!

"Speechless?" Sakura. Behind me.

"Sakura," Kisashi gasps.

I turn and I see Sakura standing there in the hallway, right behind me. She is much, much more adept at stealth than a typical genin. She'll be an absolutely ruthless, feared assassin in a couple of years at the rate she's developing.

Sakura's eyes narrow. "I see the look on your face, Kushina. Disbelief. Pity. Sorrow. You finally know what the hell you've done."

She pulls out a kunai then. "Get out. You wanted to know what you've done to my mom and dad. Now you know. Get out or I'll have you arrested."

She means it. Every word is soaked in clear hatred. She's barely restraining herself right now. Every muscle is taut and ready to strike.

Kisashi speaks. "Sakura, stop. That's enough."

"You don't understand, Dad!" Sakura shouts. "She _did this_ to you and Mom! She didn't deserve to come in here in the first place and lord it over us that she's perfectly okay while the two of you _suffer_! Look at her, Dad! Does she have a single scratch on her, anywhere?"

The pain is seeping in her voice. This is not just anger. There's an undercurrent of something far deeper than just anger. I don't know if anything I say will even come close to being good enough for her.

"I would be covered in burns and scars by now if the demon inside me did not heal all of my injuries," I reply. I know this is not a good answer but it's all I can come up with. "Or, even more likely, _dead_. The Nine-Tailed Fox heals my body because it doesn't want to die too. That's why I don't scar and why I heal so fast. And that is also why I will take a blow that would be fatal to normal ninja. I'm the only one who can sacrifice herself without throwing her life away."

"You expect me to take that as an answer?" Sakura snarls, her eyes wide and seemingly on the verge of tears.

Kisashi speaks forcefully this time. "Sakura, enough! That is an order from your father!"

Sakura stares at me, and then looks past me, staring at her father, and then she lowers her arms. "Dad . . . please. Why are you treating her like she's a human being?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Kisashi asks. "Kushina was not the one who attacked us that night. It was the demon itself."

What? He can't be serious! "Kisashi, even if what you're saying is true, it's still my responsibility to keep the demon from being released! I let that happen twelve years ago! That makes me responsible for what happened!"

"I am not exonerating you from that, I am just saying you did not directly hurt us," Kisashi replies.

I should've realized he wasn't fully forgiving me. "I understand."

Kisashi wheels himself over to me. "My wife does not have long to live. I think her injuries are finally taking their toll, and the painkillers are not enough to make her life bearable anymore. She lives to hear Sakura's voice every day, hearing about Sakura's missions and her life."

"Damn it, Dad, why does she need to know this?" Sakura cries.

"Because she should know," Kisashi replies.

I don't really know what to say, or even how to say anything that just wouldn't sound meaningless and asinine. All I can come with is "Kisashi . . . if there is any way I can help you and your wife, financially or otherwise . . . I will help you. I do a ton of S-rank and A-rank missions. I get paid a lot to do them. I have enough savings to make sure you and your family don't need to struggle as much."

"We don't need your help!" Sakura shouts. "I refuse it! If you send any money I'll burn it all on the spot!"

"Sakura-"

"Dad, I'd rather move out than accept any help from this woman. I'm not budging on this," Sakura growls. "This woman doesn't deserve to be a part of our lives at all. She's already ruined them, she doesn't need to stomp on us afterwards."

I don't think I will ever earn Sakura's forgiveness no matter how hard I try or whatever I do. She will always hate me, and now, I will always know why.

This is unforgivable. No amount of financial assistance or anything else will make it up to this family. But at the same time, I can't just do _nothing_. That's not fair to them either.

I must do something. Anything.

"Can . . . can Mebuki still taste?" I ask.

"She can," Kisashi says. "Why?"

"How . . . how well are the three of you eating right now?" I ask. I'm starting to figure something out . . . some way of helping them.

"Damn it, Kushina-" Sakura's already protesting, I can't let her do that!

"Sakura, I am not going to sit around and do nothing anymore!" I shout.

Sakura just _stares_ at me. I don't think it crossed her mind that I would yell at her.

"I will never be able to redeem myself for what I have done to you . . . any of you. I know that. What I've done is beyond forgiveness. But I am not asking for forgiveness. I am asking for _tolerance_. Just tolerate me so I can try to make your lives better. I can at least fix this house up and make sure you all have enough good food and drink, and enough money to make sure you will never fall behind on bills. I can't ignore this family anymore. I should've never ignored you three to begin with."

It's only after I'm done talking that I register everything I've said. I almost can't believe what I've said. I didn't know I had any of that in me.

"And Mebuki," I say as I turn towards her. "I know you can hear me over there. You deserve to hear another voice besides your husband and daughter. I'll help with changing your bandages and . . . and everything else that goes with it, and try to find some way to reduce your pain. I know you're in so much pain."

Mebuki's voice. "Why . . .?"

"Because what I've done is wrong. Both the act of hurting you . . . and for ignoring you both since I came back to Konoha. I can't do that anymore. The least I can do is try to make your lives better. Please let me try."

Silence.

"Please let me try."

Kisashi looks at me. "I . . . if Mebuki doesn't mind, I'll let you try. Mebuki likes being read to, if you have something new she can listen to, you can do that too."

"Yes, yes I'll do that too! I have a giant selection back at the house! I'll read to Mebuki as much as she'd like!"

"Damn it, Dad!" Sakura says. "What are you thinking? Why are you letting this _monster_ get involved with us? Don't either of you-"

"Sakura," Kisashi interrupts. "At some point, you just realize that hatred won't get you anywhere. No one wants to come near us, Sakura, and a lot of that is because you're so hostile towards everyone."

His voice sounds like it's choking up. Is he actually crying now? "Sakura, if you wouldn't mind, I would like to have a visitor every now and then. Your mother and I don't want to be alone and isolated anymore."

Sakura looks down. "I . . . I . . ."

She looks back up at me, and her eyes seem to pierce through me like a blade. "You so much as lay one of your fingers upon my parents and I don't care about the consequences, I'll make you pay."

She stomps away then, down the hall, likely heading upstairs.

"I apologize," Kisashi says.

"You don't have to apologize for her. I'm the one who has to apologize," I reply. "I just don't think she's ready to accept it."

"I'm still not sure whether to accept your apology myself," Kisashi says. "But I will, Kushina Uzumaki, if you truly mean what you say."

"I do, every word of it," I reply. "Count on it."

Kisashi nods. "Then I accept your apology."

* * *

When I leave the Haruno residence, I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders . . . and has transferred directly onto my heart. I've said . . . and promised a _lot_ to these people. Now I need to show them that I mean it. That I'm not just running my mouth off to try to get my apology accepted. That I legitimately want to help.

That I'm not going to hurt them anymore. That's I'm going to alleviate their pain as much as I can.

There's no way I'll ever win Sakura over. Her hatred for me is too strong. Maybe someday, far in the future, she and I will tolerate each other. But I don't think there's any hope of her ever accepting me.

But I think I can accept that, just as long as her parents live the best they can. And if I can give Sakura something resembling happiness, even if she doesn't appreciate it, or thank me for it, at least I'll have solace in knowing I improved her life.

Especially Mebuki. Even though I wonder if it would be better for her to gently pass on over continuing to live such a horrible existence.

I'm reminded of Mizuki's story of Tsubaki, the woman he loved so dearly. Tsubaki, who lived a similar wretched existence with her body covered in burns and unable to leave the hospital. And Mebuki has it even worse, her eyes have burned away. Mizuki said a lot of things about Tsubaki, but not that she was _blind_.

So what gives Mebuki the will to keep living, and what took it away from Tsubaki? Maybe it's simple as just hearing Sakura and Kisashi's voices every day. Maybe it's something else that I just don't see.

All I know is that maybe I could've prevented Tsubaki's suicide if I had just gotten the courage to do what I'm doing now earlier. If I had done this the moment I returned here, who knows how much better everyone's lives could have been.

All I can do now is try to make up for lost time. I'm not going to let things fester anymore.

It's then when I get a surprise standing by Hibino-sensei.

It's ninja from Taki. A dark-haired, lightly tanned girl who looks like she's in her late teens, and a brown-skinned, ash-blonde boy who looks about Naruto's age. And behind them, next to Hibino-sensei, is a long-haired young man. He looks familiar . . . oh wait.

It's Shibuki.

"Shibuki?" I ask. "What are you doing here?"

Shibuki had been locked in conversation with Hibino, and he turns away. "Oh, Kushina. Uh, long time no see," he laughs.

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

The girl chuckles. "What our newly-promoted jonin-sensei is doing is trying to ask the hot woman here out on a date."

Shibuki's facial expression basically screams _Someone please kill me now_. Hibino-sensei's facial expression, by contrast, is _This is the most hilarious moment of my life_.

I don't think I have the heart to tell Shibuki how old Hibino-sensei truly is. Someone will have to break the news to him _gently_, that is, if he just doesn't forget about her after a few days.

Well, anyway . . .

"I suppose you guys are here to participate in the Chuunin Exams," I say.

Shibuki, whose face is still clearly a shade of red, chuckles nervously. "Um . . . yeah. We're looking for Fuu right now, and, um, this lovely young lady here was telling us _you_ have been letting her stay at your residence."

Hibino-sensei looks like she's stifling a chuckle. She is really, _really_ having a lot of personal fun at Shibuki's expense. And Shibuki will never know.

"Yes, Fuu has been staying at my house for a while." I look at the other genin. "Can I ask you who your names are?"

The girl chuckles. "My name is Kanna. I'm seventeen years old, I like to consider myself Fuu's first friend in the village. I had given up on being a ninja but when I heard Fuu was going to give the Exams a go and needed teammates, I decided to help her out. So I had Shibuki-sensei whip me back into shape so I can help Fuu make it."

The boy sighs. "I'm Kyuzo. I'm twelve. I'm not going to give you my life story unlike Kanna here."

Kanna frowns. "You're no fun, Kyuzo."

"Just sayin'."

I can get a decent read on Kyuzo anyway. It's clear he's a bit surly and rebellious and doesn't trust people easily. At least it's nice to know Fuu has a friend in the Waterfall village besides Shibuki.

Hibino-sensei gives me a casual wave. "I think you've got everything under control here, Kushina, so I'll see you later. I've got some things to do tonight. Mainly making sure people I know aren't getting into trouble."

"Sounds good," I say. "Have a good night Hibino . . . and I'll see you later."

Hibino-sensei grins wryly at me not calling her "sensei". "I'll hold you to that, Kushina."

Hibino-sensei looks like she's trying not to clutch her ribs and laugh out loud as she walks away. She is _really_ amused by me humoring the whole situation, or perhaps Shibuki said some cheesy pick-up line before I got outside that has her in stitches. Hibino-sensei, I remember, was not above teasing younger men for her own amusement, though she never let things get serious. I guess that hasn't changed in the days since she was my sensei.

"Damn it," Shibuki groans. "I wanted to know her name."

Let's get off this subject. "I assume you all want to find Fuu so you guys can get some rest tonight and start training with her tomorrow."

"That would probably be helpful before our sensei tries another bad pick-up line," Kanna says, giving Shibuki a wry glance.

Shibuki just groans.

"I'll lead you all over to my house," I say. While everything else is happening, I might as well get this over with. "I'm sure Fuu will be happy to see you all when she sees all of you."

* * *

It turns out I'm wrong. Fuu is _not_ happy.

"I don't want to stay in a hotel with them! I want to stay here with you, Ms. Uzumaki!"

She's already on the borderline of tears. I can't believe it . . . no, I can. I can fully understand how she feels.

"Fuu, this is the only way you're going to be able to enter the Chuunin Exam this time around," I say. "And you need to get your timing down with your teammates. Heck, Kanna flat-out told me she was your friend and she got herself back into kunoichi shape to help you."

"Kanna's an idiot," Fuu groans. "She's an idiot because she actually befriended me when everyone hated me, which made everyone hate _her_ too. How stupid could you be to befriend a girl with a demon inside her?"

But then Fuu smiles. "But she's a _nice_ idiot. She didn't care about me being a jinchuuriki at _all_. Back when she was a full-time genin, we would spend all the time she wasn't on a mission just goofing around and getting in trouble together."

"I don't think you should be calling Kanna an 'idiot'," I reply. "I think Kanna is showing a lot of insight and maturity to look past labels and presumptions and see you for who you really are, Fuu."

Fuu laughs. "Oh, she's an idiot. This will be her fourth try at the Chuunin Exam. She was always complaining to me about how she got sick and tired of having her ass kicked in the second stage of the Exam, so she quit being an active ninja. And now she's back for more just because she wants to help _me_ out."

Fuu still doesn't seem to get it. "This isn't a sign of idiocy, Fuu. This is the sign of a true friend. I think you've had someone else as part of your 'nakama' this entire time and you never quite knew it."

Fuu's eyes widen. "You really think so?"

"True friends wouldn't put themselves back through the Chuunin Exam meat grinder unless they have a really good reason, Fuu. And Kanna's reason is because she wants to see you become a chuunin and you need teammates in order to enter the Exam. So she's going to be your teammate."

"Huh." Fuu looks down, lost in thought. "I never thought of it that way."

I rub her shoulder. "This is why you need to spend time with them, Fuu. You need to decide whether you want to leave Taki behind. The only way to know you're going to make the right decision is to be with Kanna, Shibuki, and Kyuzo. It's obvious Shibuki and Kanna both care about you, Fuu. They want to make sure you're okay."

Fuu's hands come up and grip my arm. "I don't know . . ."

"Fuu, I am not abandoning you. I just want you to make the best decision possible for your life. But I can tell you this, it'll be an insult to Shibuki to not train with him and your new teammates."

"Sounds like the best choice is to stay with them," Fuu says glumly.

Damn it. I'm breaking this girl's heart. That's not what I want to do. There has to be something I can do. Something that would make her happier and more hopeful. "Fuu, when the Exams are over, and if you decide you're truly happier here in Konoha . . ."

I bite my lip. I can't believe I'm about to say this. "Fuu, if you decide Konoha will be your home village . . . my home will become _your_ home. I will adopt you as my daughter, Fuu."

Fuu's orange eyes look up, and stare at me in amazement. "You'd . . . you'd really do that for me? Really?"

"Yes. But only if you decide Konoha is the place you should stay, Fuu," I reply. "Please, make sure this is what you truly desire. Fight for Taki, and stay with Shibuki and Kanna for now. If you know that your place is not with them, then it will be with me. I promise."

Tears begin to pour from the girl's eyes. "I . . . I . . ."

"It's okay. You don't need to say anything, Fuu."

I let her hug me tightly. I have a feeling the girl's made up her mind and she won't change it, but I need to let her see Taki's appeal. Taki is her original home, and it's Fuu's only shot of competing in these particular exams. That way, she knows she made the decision best for herself and that there's no regrets. No wondering of what might have been. No wondering whether she made a mistake.

This means I should prepare to become this child's mother in addition to being Naruto's mother. She will be my responsibility too. And she'll need just as much love as Naruto does.

Am I ready for that?

No, I must be. Otherwise I would have never given Fuu my offer just now.

She's going to be an amazing kunoichi someday. And I'll be a big reason for that.

Just like with Naruto, I will be the force that drives her into being something great, whether it's for Konoha or for Taki.

I can't ask for a better fate than that. Not with my son, and not with this girl who is likely going to be my adopted daughter soon enough.

* * *

Staring at this old picture of you and I, Minato, me six months pregnant with Naruto, it reminds me of what I've lost and what I still have. And even though you are gone, I am still here, our son is still here, and the village that you led is also still here.

And even though I've lost the Habanero Ninjatou, that doesn't mean you have completely vanished from my life. I'll always have pictures, tokens of memorabilia, the knowledge of your incredible seals. They will have to be enough until I see you again.

I was not born in Konoha, Minato. I was born in Uzushio, a foreign land. A close ally of Konoha, regardless, but still a foreign land. That was part of the reason why I was an outsider in Konoha's ninja academy. And you looked beyond that. You saw me for who I am and not as an outsider. You helped me assimilate into this village, into its people, made me become an integral part of what keeps Konoha so strong and so united.

It is my fault, not yours, that I have become an outsider again, and this time I won't have your assistance this time in becoming a full part of Konoha once more.

But that's okay, Minato. I think I've already gotten the push from you I needed. I don't think I'll need another. I've noticed that my visions of you have not happened since the battle with Shinnou. I think they're gone for good, but there's probably a reason for that. You know somehow, Minato, that I'm ready now. I'm ready to live again. I'm ready to become a true part of this village again.

Minato, this is your legacy. Our son, who is on the path to becoming a great ninja, and your village, still as strong as it ever was. It will be strong enough to maintain this fragile peace the Five Great Shinobi Nations have. I will make sure of it.

I will protect your legacy, Minato. I will protect it and make sure it gets even stronger. This village that you loved, and our son, who you loved even more. I will guard them both with my life.

You and I will see each other again, my love. But that won't be for a long time. I have a lot of things to take care of first. I have too much to live for. And I have too much to try to make right. I've tarnished your legacy with my eight years of self-imposed exile, and my refusal since my return to face the wounds I've inflicted upon Konoha . . . and myself. That won't happen anymore. I've made sure of it.

So, until we meet again, Minato . . .

I know you'll always be with me, in these pictures, in your seals, in our shared memorabilia . . . and in my heart and my memories. That will have to do.

I'm going to let you go now, Minato. I'm going to accept that you're gone and until the time comes we will never see each other again. I have no choice, not if I want to heal. Not if I'm going to protect our son and Konoha. But I will never let go of everything you loved. Never again.

I love you.

I'll always love you.

Goodbye.

* * *

While this is the end of the main story, the next three chapters have important stuff in them, particularly chapter fifty-eight. You probably should read them.


	58. Karin Side-Story

My goal with this chapter was just have a lot of fun . . . and then it turned into something more, heh. :3

* * *

**Chapter Fifty-Eight: Karin Side-Story**

Boo-yah, bitches! Karin Kozuki is free!

Well, okay, Karin Super-Secret-Clan-Name-She's-Not-Proud-Of, but let's not go into that! 'Cause it's a secret . . . and stuff! Yeah!

Anyway, I can't believe he fell for it! All it took was acting adorable and innocent and all that stuff to get a bathroom break! That's all it took for the stupid guard to put his stupid face next to my arms so I could take his stupid shirt and bang his stupid face into the walls so I could steal his stupid keys and run for it!

And now I'm out of that stupid jail!

What a _dolt_! Konoha's supposed to be so scary and large and powerful, and yet their prison guards are _that_ stupid? No wonder Orochimaru has plans for this village's destruction! This will be a snap!

Okay. It's dark out. I can use this to my advantage, it's ten o'clock at night, so I have plenty of time to figure out a way to get beyond Konoha's walls and run like hell. And I know they've sounded the alarm by now, but it's not the type of loud alarm. They don't _want_ me to think I've been found out yet. This is a secret alarm, so they can get the jump on me.

I know my appearance has been passed around to those who want to catch me as well. I wish I could remove my glasses but I need them to see. I can't escape if the world's a blur, unfortunately. But that's okay. I'm a ninja! That automatically makes me awesome!

Too bad I'm surrounded by _other_ ninja. Law of averages says that many of those ninja will be more awesome than _me_, so . . .

Better be ready to act like I'm a sweetie pie or something if I get caught. Get 'em to drop their guards again. Never fails.

I wonder who they have after me. I must be some high-ranking prisoner or something. After all I serve Orochimaru, a big enemy of them! I have to have A-ranked ninja swarming this village trying to find me! Or at least some pretty decent chuunin! I'm important, after all! They had an S-ranked jonin take me prisoner to begin with!

That reminds me . . . I _so_ gotta take revenge against Kushina Uzumaki and Mikoto Uchiha. They bopped me on the head, dropped me on my ass, tackled me, handcuffed me, and generally treated me like I'm crazy . . . and ordered other people to treat me the same way! Including that cutie Haku boy! Damn it, he was first boyfriend material before he started bopping me on the head too! Those kunoichi ruined everything!

When I become a super-powerful kunoichi, I'm going to bop _them_ on the head and see how they like it! And I'll make them kiss my feet while I'm at it, 'cause they need some _love_!

Okay, okay. Get ahold of yourself. Vengeance, sweet, beautiful, glorious vengeance, can wait. You may not want to wait, but you gotta wait. You need to get out of here first. Then we'll see about transforming into a super-powerful kunoichi. Right now, all you got is basic taijutsu and people heal when they _literally_ bite me. Not exactly super-powerful kunoichi techniques here.

Still, as long as I stick to the alleys until I get to the border of the village, I should be okay. The village is sleepy, there's not a lot of people out at this point. I can't stick out too much. If anyone's got a laundry line, that'll help with fashioning a semi-decent disguise.

Actually, should I even waste my time with that? A-ranked jonin can see through _shapeshifting_. Would a change of clothes really help me at this point?

Argh! I wish I had a plan _after_ my escape plan! This is hard!

"So _there_ you are!"

Crap.

Okay, okay. Don't panic. Try to find a way to stall this out. "So you guys finally caught me. Who's the mighty A-list jonin who was able to catch onto my trail? C'mon, don't be shy. I _am_ Karin Kozuki, very important prisoner escapee, here."

I turn around, and I see three ninja standing right in front of me, at the beginning of the alley I've wandered into. To my right is a fence leading to a person's yard, to my left is a solid wall. We're on the border of the urbanized center and the more suburbia houses that ring it . . . and I have no idea if I'm heading in the right direction or not.

Two of the ninja seem kinda short . . . almost like they could be kids . . .

Wait a minute, they _are_ kids!

The hell?

The lone adult among them steps forward. "I'm Anko Mitarashi, jonin-sensei of Konoha's Team 7. You're under arrest, and my genin and I will be taking you into custody."

No . . . no way . . . impossible!

"You . . . you gotta be kidding me! I'm not even worth a B-ranked mission? I'm so worthless I have to be pursued by mere _genin_?" I shout. "I'm a _D-rank_?"

"Actually, you're worth a 'C'," Anko Mitarashi says. "Does that make you feel better?"

"Actually, no, it doesn't! I'm Karin Kozuki, and I serve Orochimaru! I oughta be more important than a C-ranked mission! I know stuff! I know things that will make your blood boil and your skin curl and make you want to gouge out your very eyes! I am the mistress of forbidden knowledge, strong enough to break out of your stupid prisons, and -"

The blonde kid steps forward. "Sheesh! And I thought _I_ talk too much. Give it a rest!"

Oh, that brat! How dare he interrupt me! "Silence! You will let me rant as long as I wanna! No exceptions!"

"Is she for real?" the blonde kid asks his young, _too_-young, sensei.

Ha! I'm blowing their minds. This will be my gambit out of here. Just exaggerate myself, and watch as the brain juice oozes from their ears and I get off scot-free!

"Unfortunately," Anko Mitarashi says. "I was told she was a quirky one."

'Quirky'? Really? That's what you call me? After the way I've made your brains hurt just now? "You dare to refer to me as 'quirky'? I am much more than mere 'quirky', you-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Shut up," Anko Mitarashi groans. "Naruto, Hinata, get her."

The blonde kid, who I assume is called 'Naruto', chuckles as he faces me. "Sounds like a plan to me, Anko!"

"Anko-_sensei_, Naruto!"

"Oops, sorry."

Okay. This is not good. I can't fight two against one! Gotta come up with a way to screw this up so I at least have some kind of head start!

Think, Karin! Think!

Wait a minute! This is the Anko Mitarashi Orochimaru's told me about! I know all about her!

"Is 'get her' really a plan?" the girl, presumably 'Hinata', asks in a shy, gentle tone that I would not believe was possible if I didn't hear it just now.

"I've always liked the simple stuff, Hinata!" Naruto shouts. "I got no problem with it!"

Out of time!

"I know things! I know all about your sensei, little boy, little girl! I know she was a cast-off from an Orochimaru experiment gone wrong!"

"What?" Naruto asks. "How do you know this?"

Aha! Weak point! "Anko Mitarashi was too weak to serve Orochimaru's plans, so he cast her off like a dirty doll . . . well, a dirty doll with a bit of malice inside! You guys are being instructed by a failed experiment!"

Hehe, Anko Mitarashi is already looking down. I can't even see her eyes anymore. I'm already putting her in despair.

This is how I'll win. I'll break Anko Mitarashi, and then surprise-attack the two idiot genin in front of me! And then run for it until I can find a place to rest, and then start sneaking around again! Perfect!

"What's the matter, Anko? Afraid because I'm mentioning the truth? It's quite amusing to see you try to be a jonin-sensei, lemme tell you! I've heard all about your 'teaching methods'! It's so _cute_ to hear about ya being so touchy-feely with your genin! I can't believe Konoha's stupid enough to let you do this! You're a-"

"_Shut up_."

Huh?

All of a sudden, Anko Mitarashi looks up, and those brown eyes of her are _livid_. Her hands clench into fists so hard they begin _trembling_.

Uh oh.

The Orochimaru experiment-turned-jonin-sensei steps forward and in front of her genin, cracking her knuckles together. "Naruto, Hinata. Step aside. She's _mine_."

This . . . didn't go according to plan.

All right. All right. You haven't lost yet. You just made Anko Mitarashi want to punch your lights out, that's all! This is still workable! Kinda sorta.

Just come up with something! Anything! Just to buy you time!

"Um . . . ah . . . _look behind you_!"

Nobody even glances away.

"You _really_ expect me to fall for that one?" Anko Mitarashi asks, probably rhetorically.

"Yeah . . . kinda not the best plan there." Oldest trick in the book. It's been so useless for the last several years that I doubt it even qualifies as a 'trick' anymore.

Just keep backing away. Back away from the angry woman who wants to punch my lights out. Show no fear. You are a kunoichi too. Nothing to be scared off, other than a concussion.

Just . . . just try something else! Like . . .

"Wha-cha!" Just make random fight poses and intimidating grunt noises! Make her guess!

"Wah! Toy-yah! I know taijutsu, all kinds of it! Fear me!"

She's still walking forward, getting closer. "You're just making crap up. You've got no clue what you're doing."

Damn it! She saw through it!

C'mon. C'mon, brain. Give me a new idea! One that'll actually work!

"Aha! You've fallen right into my trap!" I shout as the idea pops into my brain.

"Hmm?" Anko grunts, her eyebrow raised, clearly skeptical.

At least I made her stop walking! Success! "Yes, you have fallen into my brilliant trap, one that hardly needs any rigging at all!"

"Uh huh, sure," Anko says, folding her arms skeptically.

"My trap is called . . . _run away_!"

I turn around and begin sprinting down the alley as fast as I can.

Run. Don't look back. Just run.

"Hey, get back here! Naruto, Hinata, on me!"

Yes, exactly as planned! I blew their minds for about five seconds! That oughta be a good enough head start until I can find a place to hide!

Nothing can stop me now, except . . .

Hey, wait a minute. Don't jonin-sensei teams usually have _three_ genin on them-

Body in front of me.

Crash.

Ow.

Wait a minute, I'm on my stomach, and . . . and my hands are being tied behind my back! How did he . . .?

Oh wow, pretty boy! Now _this_ hottie is _definitely_ first boyfriend material! He's gorgeous! Those dark, brooding, sensitive eyes, gorgeous sculpted face, the silky dark hair . . .

"You're under arrest, Karin Kozuki." the hot boy says.

Oh, my heart! So many calisthenics! His voice has even changed! He's not just hot, he's a total badass too!

Hey, wait a minute . . . he tied me up!

Damn it!

Wait . . . you can at least get a consolation prize! This hottie's name! But be classy about it. Don't let on that you got the hots for him. "So . . . who are you? Can you tell me your name?"

The hot boy raises an eyebrow. "Sasuke Uchiha. Why?"

Wait . . .

Uchiha?

"You . . . you wouldn't happen to be the son of 'Mikoto Uchiha', would you?"

"She's my mother."

NOOOOOOOOO!

Someone kill me! I suck! I suck beyond belief! I've been caught by Mikoto's kid! Mikoto's _hot_ kid, mind you, but still!

Damn it, seeing his face for the first time makes what Orochimaru had planned for him really difficult to tolerate! No, no. Must ignore the hotness. Must ignore the hotness!

"Um . . . are you all right?" Sasuke asks me.

He cares! Well, this is a mild improvement, anyway. Maybe I can seduce him and get out of this mess the-

"There you are!"

Crap. Not gonna work now.

Anko Mitarashi walks up to me, growling. She's pissed. This is probably gonna hurt-

She bends down and bops me on the head.

Pain.

Pain and humiliation.

Ow.

"That's for being a pain in the ass! My squad was supposed to leave for an emergency mission to the Village Hidden in the Rain, and you delayed us! Now be a good prisoner and stuff!"

She scoops me onto her shoulder and begins walking away, her three genin dutifully following, the blonde boy making faces at me.

Wait. I remember that Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto . . . Naruto _Uzumaki_ were on the same team . . .

This means . . .

"You're . . . you're the son of Kushina Uzumaki, aren't you?"

Naruto grins proudly. "Damn straight! The strongest kunoichi in Konoha! Believe it!"

Someone. Please. Kill me. now.

I haven't been caught by the super-powerful jonin who originally took me prisoner. I haven't even been caught by their peers. I've been caught by their _kids_ and by Orochimaru's reject! How far have I fallen?

Some random asshole with a kunai. Run up here and slash me for no apparent reason.

Or lightning from the heavens. That'd be good too.

Something. Anything. Just kill me.

I don't think I'm going to get that wish, not that I mean it anyway.

I'm weird that way.

* * *

"Had a fun night on the town, huh?"

Stupid stinking Kushina Uzumaki, thinking she can talk to me while I'm stuck behind bars. She gets to be free and I'm in a cage! I don't even have a nice window to stare out of! I can't even tell if it's day or night in this dump! It's just rock and concrete!

And then she gets to walk away and be free and I'm stuck here all alone!

"Oh yes, so much fun, being humiliated and dragged back here. I had a _ton_ of fun, foxy lady."

"I warned you before that trying to escape wouldn't be worth it."

"Hey, that guard was a dolt! He was asking to have his head slammed into the wall! He believed in my cuteness and paid the price!"

Kushina Uzumaki blinks, just for a second. At least I can still make her brain jump through hoops. I still got that on her. She hasn't beaten me yet.

She just sighs in the end. "Well, anyway, I made you some food for you to eat. I'm sure it's better than the slop they serve here. "

She's trying to bribe me now. Pathetic. "I don't want it."

She has the gall to _smile_ at me so innocently. "Yes, you do. It's my homemade bento, the kind I make for my son. It helps make him healthy and strong. You need food like this or you're not going to be a healthy woman, Karin. Plus I threw in a few of my homemade cookies on top."

That sounds _delicious_-

Wait, what am I thinking? Stupid stomach! They're probably drugged!

Then again, if the slop was drugged, wouldn't I have . . .

I don't know anymore!

Just go with the easy answer! You've got more pride than this! "I don't want it."

She pushes the tray with the food through the slot and now the food is staring at me right in the face. Damn it, it even _smells_ good.

"Trust me, you do."

Taking this food is betraying Orochimaru! You can't do it! You can't! "I don't want it for the last time!"

Time to play the crazy. Make her go away.

"Wait a minute, I know what you're trying to do, foxy lady. You think I'm cute, don't ya?"

Walk right up to the bars. Make crazy eyes. Drool. Whatever it takes, make her go away.

Kushina blinks again. "Karin, I'm trying to help you here."

"Oh yes, I so badly want your help! You're the one who made me _need_ help in the first place, foxy lady! I'm stuck in jail now thanks to you and your helpfulness!"

Almost got her to go away. I see it in her eyes.

I bang my head against the bars and put on the craziest face I can think of. "Oh yes, I definitely want your help now! I am in such _need_ of it! And chocolate! Gimme chocolate! All the chocolate in the whole, wide world! That'll help me!"

"I can't tell if you're genuinely crazy or just pretending to be so I leave you alone," Kushina replies.

Crap! She's starting to see through my ruse! And I'm getting a really bad headache too! I'm not sure this was worth it!

"_Kushina_!" That voice, down the hall. I recognize it. Miss-Bop-Me-On-The-Head in the flesh. Mikoto Uchiha.

Kushina Uzumaki stands up from her seat and looks towards where Mikoto's voice came from. "Mikoto, what's wrong?"

"The Ame mission! It's gone really, really wrong! We need to leave!"

"What, _now_? Why, Mikoto?"

"Kushina, _now_! I'll explain later!"

Kushina looks back at me. "I'll see you later."

"That's right! Run away! Run away and leave me here to twist and spin around in this stupid cramped cell! Victory is mine!"

Ah, that felt good. Except for my head, anyway. I'm feelin' kinda dizzy.

And so is this headache . . . damn, I think my forehead is bleeding . . . I think I overdid it . . .

I don't think what I just did was a good idea . . .

What the hell is inside this stupid bento box anyway? I bet it's all . . .

Damn it, look at this food . . . so tasty-looking . . .

No . . .

No . . . I can't . . . Orochimaru would . . .

But the food . . .

Uh . . . buh . . .

_Stop mocking me_!

Haha! Look at all of the food go flying everywhere! So much for your so-called 'kindness', huh? All of your food has gone to waste! You'll never make me . . .

Aw man, the cookies! They had chocolate in them!

And I threw them all outside the bars, out of reach!

Damn it, she actually granted my wish and I threw it away!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I'm so hungry now . . .

And this stupid headache . . . I think my forehead's bleeding too . . .

Orochimaru . . . please help me. Get me out of this place.

Please . . .

I just want to observe your science experiments again.

Because you know what I feel like right now?

_I_ feel like the science experiment!

And I don't like it!

* * *

How much time has passed? Weeks? Days? Hours?

I'm alone. So completely, utterly alone. Except for the voices in my head! Yeah, that's right! I won't be alone, because the voices in my head will keep me company until . . .

Until . . .

Silence.

No voices in my head.

Damn.

At least that would've been fun.

Guess this means I still have my sanity.

Yay.

This would be a lot more tolerable if I would just go nuts. Crazy people don't care if they're locked up inside cages . . . well, because they're _crazy_. I'm not crazy. I'm . . . what's the word? Restless? Annoyed? Bored?

Everything all at once crammed inside my cute little body?

ARRRRRRRRRGH!

Maybe I am going crazy.

This sucks. I thought going crazy would be more entertaining than this.

Curse you, media! You lied to me! Curse you forever!

Come on. Someone talk to me. I hate living for someone to come over to either feed me or take me to the bathroom. I need someone to talk to. Anybody.

"Hi."

That voice. I know I've heard that voice before!

I sit up and look towards the bars, and I see a girl around my age. It's that girl who Kushina Uzumaki was close to. What was her name . . .

"Fuu?"

"Huh. You remembered my name."

"How could I not? You've got blue hair and brown skin and orange eyes. You're kinda hard to forget."

Wait a minute. You're saying the wrong things here. You're letting _her_ control the conversation. You need to seize control of it.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I got special permission to see you. I was curious to see how you're holding up . . . and also to say a few things to you."

Oh great. A lecture. Wonderful.

"Uh huh. Keep your sayings to yourself, not interested."

Her orange eyes narrow. "You're lonely."

This is worse than I thought! She's trying the touchy-feely stuff with me already! "Who asked you? I'm perfectly fine being alone. I've been alone for almost every hour of every day. I think I'm holding up _great_. Why do you ask? I don't feel alone, nosiree."

"There's hurt in your voice. I can hear it," Fuu says.

"Shaddup. Like I said, I'm fine."

"You're not 'fine'. Stop lying to me. Stop lying to yourself. You need to listen to Ms. Uzumaki, she's trying to-"

"La la la! Not listening!"

An edge in her voice. "She's _trying_ to help you!"

"No she's not! She's trying to make me betray Orochimaru! I'm not gonna do it! Never!"

Fuu looks down. Oh boy, I know this look. "You don't know Ms. Uzumaki at all. She's trying to save you from something _worse_. She cares about people, Karin."

"I don't need saving. I can save myself." Go away, you stupid girl. Stop trying to run my life. I'm staying loyal to Orochimaru and that's final!

He'll come and get me. Any day now, he'll blow this village to hell and I'll be free and he'll be proud of me because I didn't let you people break me! I know this is all a trick! I'm not falling for it!

"I don't think so. You look like a wreck. You hardly look like the girl I saw in the southern isle."

"Dammit, who asked you?" Do I need to act crazy too to make her go away?

Argh, I don't have the energy for that right now. I just want her to shut up.

"Ms. Uzumaki will be back in a couple of days. Let me tell you from personal experience with her . . . she's a good person. She cares about people, it's natural with her. Her son, Naruto, is the same way, though Naruto can be a bit of a narrow-minded doofus about it. She . . . she gives me something that no one ever . . . ever even _wanted_ to give me before, and that's something I'll always keep close to me."

"Would you quit it with your sob story? I don't care!"

She's mad. I can hear her hiss as she sucks in an angry breath. "That's the difference between Orochimaru and her! Ms. Uzumaki cares! Orochimaru does not! He hasn't rescued you yet, has he?"

Shut up, shut up, shut up!

"You're not answering me. You know the real answer. You know Orochimaru has abandoned you. You were an expendable loss to him."

I can hear stupid Kimimaro's voice now, him murmuring about how 'expendable' I had become. Thanks, thanks a lot! Not!

"Why would you serve a man like him? Someone who would revive the living dead or perform all of these cruel experiments? Why would you even help him do them?"

"I had no place else to go, idiot! Orochimaru gave me a purpose and I fulfilled it! Screw everyone else, I finally wasn't being taken advantage of anymore!"

That came out a lot more personal than I intended. Don't tell me this blue-haired girl is actually succeeding in breaking me. Not now.

"Ms. Uzumaki is offering you a place to go, Karin. It's a much better place than what Orochimaru gave you."

Damn it, she won't stop talking! Cover your ears! Do it! She'll get the message.

She's still coming through, muffled. "You can deny it all you want. But you know I'm right. Please, let Ms. Uzumaki help you. You won't regret it."

"_Shut up_!" Wait . . . what's that in my voice? Sounded like cracking . . .

No . . . no . . what's in my eyes? What's this in my eyes?

My face feels like it's burning up.

I can't be . . . I can't be . . .

Orochimaru . . . she's breaking me. Please . . . please help me . . . where are you? Why haven't you sent someone to save me? I know things, Orochimaru! I'm important, aren't I? Why aren't you coming?

"I'm sorry I made you cry. But it's something you had to know."

I can't stand this stupid girl's voice anymore! "_Go away_! You made me cry! Congratulations! You can laugh about it with stupid Ms. Uzumaki and stupid everyone else! Now leave me alone!"

She holds up her hands. "All right, all right, sure."

She just nonchalantly walks away, and I'm alone again.

The moment she vanishes, I wish she was still here.

I can't stand this anymore. The tasteless gruel they feed me, the lack of sun or fresh air, all I see is the inside of this cell and a hallway when they take me to the restroom . . .

Please . . . someone save me from this . . .

I feel like I've fallen into hell and I can't get out.

* * *

"Look, Karin, you need to take it. You're becoming a shadow of your former self!"

"I'd sooner die than accept your stupid food! I will not eat it!"

Damn her. Damn her stupid face. Damn her stupid eyes. She looks _hurt_ by my words! The last time I spilled her food everywhere she looked like she was going to cry herself! And yet she keeps coming back and offering me her stupid food every day!

And I want it. Every day I see it and I want it. Especially the cookies she keeps packaging into the stupid bento box! They're filled with chocolate morsels, and I smell it above all of the other scents of the food, and it makes my stomach scream in agony and my taste buds go haywire and my mouth salivate and . . . and . . .

It just makes me feel like I'm going to go crazy for real!

"Karin . . . you're going to be skin and bones if you do not take this food and start exercising. I can give you your strength back. I can give you human interaction. Please, I don't want to see you wasting away anymore."

"You've got a funny way of showing it!"

She's putting the stupid tray through the slot again. "Please, Karin. The slop they give you is meant to keep you alive and nothing more. You're not getting any of the necessary nutrients your body needs to be healthy. If this keeps up, you're going to develop scurvy or something worse, if not general malnutrition. Believe me, I fought for you to have a better diet but they would not do it. So I have to bring your better diet here myself."

I open it, and there's the stupid food again, complete with . . . with . . .

Argh, the chocolate!

"Please, Karin. Please eat it. Let me help you get out of this cell."

How about I chuck this at your stupid face?

"Karin, Orochimaru is not going to help you! If your defiance is because of him, it should be pretty obvious by now that he's not coming! He's given up on you as a lost cause or as someone dead!"

Shut up . . . shut up . . .

Damn it . . . I'm so hungry . . .

This is the fourth day in a row, I think, she's been trying this with me. Three straight times, I've sent the food toppling to the floor and throwing the scraps at her through the bars. The last time, she looked like she was going to burst into tears. Like she really does care.

Why? What have I done to make her care about me?

Pity . . . that's all it is . . . pity . . .

But . . .

But she keeps coming back . . . with . . . with fresh food and clean water . . .

Last time she even tried to reach her hand through the bars to stroke my face. I was so shocked to see her do that. It didn't even occur to me to bite her or something else. I never expected that from her at all.

"Karin, I have not drugged the food. I am not making you talk as a condition for you to eat it. I am trying to help you. Please, Karin. All this is . . . is a first step towards a better life for you."

"Stop it, please." My voice sounds so weak. I can't look away from either her face or the food she's shoved through the slot. I can't. All I see is . . .

Why have I grabbed the cookie? What am I doing?

So hungry . . .

I . . .

It's soft . . . chewy . . . sweet . . .

It tastes like the best thing I've ever had in my life . . .

What have I done? Orochimaru . . .

She's winning . . . I'm letting her win and . . .

"It's all right, Karin. Nothing bad's gonna happen to you. I'm not going to interrogate you. It's okay."

My eyes . . . they're blurring up . . . it's not my glasses, it's not my vision in general . . .

I just feel so warm right now . . .

I lift up my glasses to wipe my eyes, and when I put the glasses back on my face, I see her. She's smiling at me.

"Karin, it's okay."

In her eyes, I see something I never saw in Orochimaru's.

Compassion.

My heart . . . my heart feels like . . .

Before I know it, I'm tearing through the bento box, swallowing it all down through my throat and downing a fresh glass of water. It all tastes so wonderful, after the weeks of crap they kept serving me, which I ate anyway because I would feel full for a couple of precious hours.

And when I'm done, I see my door's been unlocked, and there she is, her arms open. "There. That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"What are you-"

She hugs me.

She legitimately _hugs_ me.

Orochimaru, I . . .

Her kunai is exposed right in her holster. I could try to take it and kill her right now and . . . and . . .

I can't do it.

Orochimaru, I can't do it.

I can't bring myself to try to hurt this woman.

I want this. I want this warmth. I want this woman's arms around me! I want to cry into her shoulder and tell her everything and . . .

No . . . no I can't. I have to stay loyal. I can take this woman's food, but I can't talk. I won't talk. I refuse.

This woman will be dead along with everyone else in this stupid village soon. She'll mean nothing soon enough . . .

Why does the thought of her death make my heart ache? Just because she fed me?

What's wrong with me?

Orochimaru . . .

I think I'm starting to turn into one of _them_!

Please . . . blow it all up soon . . . before they change me. They're going to change me, because I feel so wonderful and warm and . . . and everything else and . . .

Just . . .

Just help me . . .

* * *

"The end," the hot boy aka first boyfriend material aka Sasuke Uchiha says as he slams the book shut.

"Read it to me again," I say.

"We're out of time for today. We all gotta go home. The Exams are in a few days now," Sasuke says.

"Really." I'm disappointed. Sasuke has such an amazing voice and he's actually a genuinely nice guy. Hearing that voice of his is making me feel gradually sicker and sicker to my stomach, though. Orochimaru had something planned for Sasuke . . . something really big. Knowing that's going to happen to this nice, handsome boy is really, _really_ starting to hurt.

"This is a cushy assignment," Naruto says, kicking back. They've given me a bigger cell, a cell with more than a cot. I've been downgraded in risk, so they're giving me a sink and a toilet and a bed and, most importantly, a small window so I can look outside. They're treating me like a human being because I'm accepting Kushina Uzumaki's food now. "Best C-rank mission ever. Better than the Ame and Land of Snow missions, that's for sure."

"I know," Sasuke says. "It seems like every other C-rank mission goes way outta control on us."

Their jonin-sensei has been watching us too. She's making sure that I don't get access to anything that can be used as a weapon . . . including the paper in the book Sasuke just read to me.

"Come on. We'll visit Karin again tomorrow night and keep her company. I think tomorrow we can start taking her outside too," Anko Mitarashi says.

"Sounds good to me!" Naruto says. He's always so full of energy, like I was before this stupid crap happened to me. But I'm beginning to feel better. Maybe soon I'll be strong enough to escape again, if I even want to . . .

Wait, _what_?

"Have a good night, Karin," Anko Mitarashi says to me as she ushers her genin out the door.

Sasuke turns to me and offers a smile. "I'll bring another book for next time, okay?"

"Y-Yeah. Sounds . . . um, good." Damn it. Seeing him go, knowing what's in store for him at the Exams . . . this was so easy when Sasuke Uchiha was just a name! Now with everything else . . .

I don't want him to go. Or anyone else.

The last few days . . . I'm finally being treated like I mean something to these people! I mean, they're rewarding me for nothing because I haven't said a word about what Orochimaru is planning, but . . .

No, no, I'm just being stupid. They're trying to soften me up, that's what they're doing! And the Sasuke thing, that's just coincidence! Why should it matter to me?

But this feels better. Better than I've ever felt before. Even with Orochimaru, I feel . . . I feel . . .

"See ya, Karin. Don't be causing any trouble, 'kay?" Anko says.

"I . . . I won't . . ." I can't believe I just said that. I _am_ turning into one of them!

My theory about stupid people is wrong! They're not breeding! They're just assimilating all of the smart people into their stupidness!

And they're doing it to me!

Oh no. Here's the chief assimilator herself. And her brooding sidekick/possible secret lesbian lover too!

Otherwise known as Kushina Uzumaki and Mikoto Uchiha.

"You're feeling better, Karin. That's good. You were actually laughing and joking around with them," says Kushina Uzumaki.

"I . . . I haven't had anyone else to talk to, Ms. Uzumaki." Why do I sound so vulnerable? Does that mean they actually broke me? Or does it mean something else?

"'Ms. Uzumaki'?" she chuckles warmly. "You're not calling me 'foxy lady' for once?"

Oh damn it! I just . . . it's hard to talk and explain and think and all of that other stuff right now! Especially since Kushina and Naruto, they . . . no. No, I can't tell them that! I can't! I can't trust them!

"It doesn't feel right, calling you that right now."

She sits down in front of me. "You're a good person, Karin. You just haven't been given the chance to be one."

"You're saying that the crazy, sarcastic me isn't the real me?"

"Oh, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that, sure, you're the crazy, sarcastic you, but the crazy, sarcastic you is actually pretty nice, even with all of the crazy, sarcastic stuff. You just haven't been given the chance to be nice."

She talks like she's a much younger person, but her words have more weight to them like she's older. I hate people like that, and yet the combination sounds good coming from this woman's mouth. I don't know why.

I look at the dark eyes of Mikoto Uchiha, and she's watching me like a hawk. There is no warmth in her eyes, not like with Kushina Uzumaki. She's dead serious and doesn't trust me at all.

"Stop staring at me. It's freaky."

"I think it's time to cut to the chase, Karin Kozuki." Even Mikoto's tone of voice hits me like a ton of bricks.

"Mikoto!" Kushina yells. "Don't do this to her!"

"We're out of time, Kushina! The Chuunin Exams are going to start in a few days and we don't know if Orochimaru is going to pull something during the Exams! We have to know!"

So . . . so that's how it is . . . huh . . .

Kushina looks back at me. "Karin, Karin, you need to listen to me, right now. I am not going to let Mikoto torture you, is that clear? Or anyone else."

"Why . . . why should I believe you?"

I want to cry again. I wanted to trust her. I was even getting tempted to tell her how closely related we truly are. But that's a mistake, I can see that now. She just wants to use me. Like Orochimaru used me. Like . . .

What did I think just now?

That Orochimaru was . . .

"Karin . . . you are not being treated as an ordinary prisoner. If you were an ordinary prisoner, I could've just let the Torture and Interrogation wing rip you apart until you spat out all of the info we needed to know. But I didn't want that to happen to you, and neither did the Hokage. You're a girl, a girl who has special abilities, a girl who can do some real good in our village."

"What's your point?" That's all I have left. All of the resistance I have left. Even after what Mikoto Uchiha just said . . . I don't feel like a single word coming from Kushina Uzumaki is a trick. I . . . I don't think anything Kushina Uzumaki ever said was a trick . . . or anyone else.

Even Mikoto Uchiha's words just now. No one here has ever lied to me.

I remember the gas spilling through the hallways. I was nearly exposed to it. I was nearly turned into living dead like so many others, including the corpses of prisoners that had been slaughtered . . .

Slaughtered like . . . like they were just . . . .

I could've saved them.

I could've let them go.

I could've let them go but I thought they were just playthings and I thought I would get out and get more playthings to experiment with while Orochimaru's watching me and . . .

And . . .

Instead, I stepped aside and let Orochimaru kill them all himself before he left the laboratory behind . . .

And I didn't do a thing . . .

This really, really sucks. I feel like I have a pit in my stomach. I want to throw up.

"You are not a prisoner of war, Karin. We want you to be part of this village. You can become part of Konoha. You can have your freedom and be properly trained by a jonin-sensei. All you have to do, Karin . . . is tell us whether Orochimaru is going to attack our village. If you know anything specific, please tell us that too. That's all you have to do . . . and you will not be a prisoner any longer."

"I killed people, Ms. Uzumaki."

"Hmm?"

"I . . . I killed prisoners . . . that were being used as experiments, Ms. Uzumaki. When the experiments would fail, Orochimaru would let me nerve-gas them and kill them on the spot and they'd move onto the next prisoner. And I did that . . . did that a lot."

Her eyes are wide, and so are Mikoto Uchiha's. They're both stunned.

"And . . . and all of those prisoners . . . I just let Orochimaru kill them all when we were beginning to abandon the facility. I didn't speak up, I didn't try to convince everyone to let them live. I could have at least tried to save them and I didn't. I didn't say a single word, and then they were killed . . . and then they got turned into living dead too . . ."

They're still staring at me. What are they thinking about me right now? Do they regard me as a monster like they must regard Orochimaru? Or do they pity me somehow?

"How can I . . . how can I join you people, when I've done something so terrible? I'm a crappy human being, and realizing that really, really sucks. How can I possibly try to fix everything?"

Kushina Uzumaki's eyes soften. "You can start by saving the people in our village."

"Huh?"

"That's what you have inside your head, Karin. Information that will save lives, not just from our village, but from all of the other villages participating too."

She's still giving me her offer. Like she really thinks I deserve it.

Well then . . . if she thinks I still deserve it, then I deserve it! Screw it! I want to live again! And if that means playing by Konoha's morals or whatever, then I'll do it! They can finish turning me into one of them! I just want . . . I just want . . .

I just want to look in the mirror and tell myself that I'm doing the right thing.

"Ms. Uzumaki . . . I'll talk."

Mikoto Uchiha's eyes widen again. "You will?"

"I will. I'll spill everything. Bring the old geezer Hokage dude in here, I'll spill it all. Just . . . just one last thing."

"Yes?" Kushina Uzumaki asks.

"Give me a couple more of your cookies first. And milk. I could really use them right now."

They both just stare at me, like I've suddenly mutated into something not human.

"I'll be damned . . ." Mikoto Uchiha says softly.

Kushina Uzumaki just starts chuckling. "All righty then. I've got a couple of day-olds left over. Will that work?"

"Yeah. Yeah, that'll work. Just get me them and milk and get the old guy in here before I change my mind." My heart is already slamming against my chest. I'm really gonna do it, sell Orochimaru out . . . for what? Cookies? Having people my age talk to me? People hugging me and letting me cry into their shoulders.

No . . . that wasn't what did it. It was the offer. That's what did it.

What Kushina Uzumaki had offered me was hope. Hope for myself, hope for a good life. A life where people aren't just playthings for me anymore. Where people mean something individually, beyond being numbers to represent failed experiments.

I really have been crazy. What they've done is make me sane. I'm not sure if I like that.

Kushina Uzumaki hugs me, which knocks my glasses slightly askew and I have to readjust them. "Thank you. Thank you, Karin. When it's over . . . you'll go down as a hero. Count on it."

Hearing those words just make me smile. I must be grinning like a dolt. That's what I've become, I guess. One of _them_. One of the stupid people. Except they don't seem so stupid anymore.

"Let me hug her too." Miss-Bop-Me-On-The-Head, really? Why is she-

Gah, tight! Mercifully brief, but tight.

She smiles in this mysterious way. "Didn't think you had it in you. I will get the Hokage immediately. You're doing everyone an amazing service right now, Karin."

Praise. So much of it. Nothing but praise, and I haven't said a word about Orochimaru's plans yet. And yet they're praising me.

Man, if I lie, I'm not going to be able to look at myself in the mirror at all. Guess I'm stuck telling the truth.

I'm sorry, Orochimaru. They got to me. They made me one of them.

No. One of 'us'. You're now one of 'them', Orochimaru, because I'm betraying you.

And yet, I feel happy. Really happy. I'm sure I'm going to be paranoid and terrified tomorrow when it finally hits me what I've done, but . . . until that happens . . .

I'll just enjoy being happy and feeling like I belong with these people.

Plus Sasuke is still the hottest boy my age I've ever seen. Betraying Orochimaru makes him datable now. Call me sentimental, but after what Orochimaru had planned for him . . . Sasuke wasn't going to be so nice anymore. And I get to prevent that.

Boo-yah, bitches. I'm free.

And no one is ever going to take that away from me.

* * *

My approach to Karin is pretty simple. Take canon Karin, fuse her with Naruto-on-sugar-rush, and sprinkle a little bit of Deadpool-esque meta on top.

Karin was always going to have a big role in the story, but I'm aware of how unpopular she is. So this is my way of trying to make Karin more likable so people will be willing to read about her. Jury's out on whether it works or not.


	59. Hinata Side-Story

**Chapter Fifty-Nine: Hinata Side-Story**

"Lady Hinata! Lady Hinata, it's time to get up!"

I've heard his voice every day I've spent at home for the last several years of my life. He's always there, always concerned about me, always making sure I have everything ready.

"Kou," I say softly as I open my eyes to stare at his own. We share the same eyes, the same gray eyes, that all members of the Hyuga clan have. It doesn't matter whether we're from the main branch or any of the other supporting branches. It's the one constant. The one thing that makes us stand out from all of the other clans in Konoha . . . but makes us unable to stand out from each other. At least, that would be the case if Father did not make it so.

I wipe my eyes and check the time. "It is . . . seven o'clock in the morning."

Kou always gets me right when the clock hits seven. By eight, I will have departed the Hyuga clan and will be training with Anko-sensei. I don't know which is more frightening to me at this point, Father's disapproval of me, many of the supporting clans' outright loathing of me, or the hatred boiling underneath Anko-sensei, just waiting to lash out the moment Anko-sensei doesn't want to suppress it anymore.

Kou doesn't hate me. He's not disappointed in me. All he does is support me and make sure I'm okay. He would have joined Ms. Uzumaki, Naruto's mother, in following us to the Land of Snow, but Father forbade it.

Kou's the only one of my clan who has not given up on me. Everyone else has. I hear them talking about me like I'm a lost cause all the time, when they don't think I'm listening. Not just because I'm not strong enough, but because they have no faith in my sensei at all. Even my sister Hanabi has given up on me, she refuses to spar with me because she finds me too easy of an opponent. And she's not even ten years old, and I'm going to be thirteen in a few months.

I don't go a single day without wondering why I'm going to enter the Chuunin Exams. I don't want to hold Naruto and Sasuke back, they're both ready. But how am I going to help them when I'm so far behind them? I'll just be holding them back, no matter what I do. And they won't be happy with me if I hold them back now, or hold them back during the Exams themselves.

What am I going to do?

"Lady Hinata," Kou says softly. "Are you all right? You've been staring into space."

"I'm fine, Kou, thank you," I reply.

Liar.

Kou smiles gently. "It's all right to be lost in thought sometimes, Lady Hinata, but you are expected downstairs in twenty-seven minutes for breakfast before you depart at eight."

"I will make it there, Kou. I promise you, I'm all right."

Bigger liar.

He rubs my shoulder. "Excellent. I'll see you downstairs, Lady Hinata."

"Okay."

He walks away and leaves the room. I don't want him to go. He's the only one in my family who says nice things to me anymore. He's the only one who treats me like I still matter.

Like I haven't been replaced.

* * *

Breakfast is, as always, well-prepared and delicious. It is missing the heaps of salt in the fast food Naruto loves to eat. It's not the artificial-tasting rations Anko-sensei packs for us. It lacks the heart of Ms. Uzumaki's food, the few times I've tasted it. It lacks the spicy flair of the few times I've tasted Ms. Uchiha's food as well. The food the Hyuga chefs prepare for us is moderate, balanced . . . and impersonal.

Eating it just makes me feel more lonely, even though I am surrounded by my clan.

They are all lost in their own conversations, discussing clan politics, the news and scandals of Konoha, whether war with Kumo or Iwa is still in the horizon. Apparently genin from Taki, Kusa, and Ame have already begun arriving in Konoha as well, clearly intending to acclimate to Konoha before the Exam. They're all being watched closely, as they are foreigners.

The Hyuga is usually the clan tasked with watching foreigners when it's Konoha's turn to host the Exams. Our Byakugan can pick up hidden peculiaries in their chakra. Or detect that they may be planning some kind of malicious assault on Konoha . . . it wouldn't be the _first_ time. So the clan is stressed and nervous, because if something goes wrong it is on _them_.

Hanabi is sitting in front of me, at Father's right-hand side. She notices I'm staring at her and I look away. I know she'll note this, my sister's mind is sharp and analytical. She will be a good ninja and soon. She's already better than me. Perhaps she will even become better than Father, which would make her a Hokage candidate.

I wish I was better. If I was even just marginally better, I wouldn't be ignored right now. I could still be sitting at Father's side rather than across from him. There's no one to blame but myself, this had already started before I began training with Anko-sensei. I just can't do what it is that my sister can. I just can't do it.

I can hear Anko-sensei in the back of my mind, shouting "_Don't say you can't do it! You don't know that until you try! Now show me what you can do the very best you can!_"

I wish I could believe that like Naruto and Sasuke do. I really wish I could.

"Lady Hinata," Kou says from besides me. "Please, you need to finish your meal."

"Uh, thank you, Kou." I try to eat the food, but it's just so clear that it's _missing_ something.

Character. That's what it's missing. The food is made with such precision that it is basically beautiful gruel, without anything to make it special or stand out.

Just like me.

I am not special. I will never be special.

I just hope I don't hold Naruto and Sasuke back. They're the ones destined for greatness, not me.

Especially Naruto. He's always so nice, grinning at me like there's nothing wrong, always telling me nice things. He's hugged me a couple of times now, and that just makes me feel so happy, because it's like I've done something good somehow. It shows me that he really cares about me, that he's protective and . . . and he's . . .

He's . . .

So . . .

I can't finish it.

Come on. Eat. Eat like you're not thinking about how handsome he is.

Eat like you still matter to everyone here.

I can't help Naruto and Sasuke if I'm hungry.

I just wish . . . I just wish . . .

That I was with Naruto right now.

He makes me smile.

Being here just makes me want to cry.

* * *

Anko-sensei's clapping her hands at us. That always means _Keep pushing it_. "Come on, this is taijutsu practice, not dancing practice! Hinata, you have to attack Naruto like you mean it!"

I can't mean it, Anko-sensei. I can't. Every time I look into Naruto's eyes, I can't bring myself to attack him.

He's my closest friend.

"Come on, Hinata. I can take it, trust me!" Naruto says, grinning.

Naruto . . . I know you're trying to help, but you're just making this even harder.

I can't hit you, Naruto. Not with the Byakugan turned on. I'll hurt you. I don't want to hurt you. You're my friend. You make me feel like I can be better than I am. Why would I want to hurt you after you say and do so many nice things?

"Hinata!" Anko-sensei barks. "Naruto and Sasuke need to get used to having the Byakugan turned on them! There's gonna be eleven other Hyuga in the Exams this year! You guys are going to have to fight at least one of them, and you need to show Naruto and Sasuke how they fight so they can defend themselves. That means you need to try to hit them, Hinata!"

Anko-sensei . . . please . . . please stop. I can't do this.

"Hinata, it's okay," Naruto says. I look into his blue eyes and he's still unafraid, he's still trying to encourage me. "Look, this is just to get us stronger. That's all it is. Anko will not let us get hurt too much."

"Anko-_sensei_, Naruto," Anko-sensei groans.

"Right, sorry," Naruto says, chuckling.

How can I hit a boy who's so happy? He's not trying to attack me at all. He likes me. He's always been there for me the last few months. Why should I hit him?

Hands. Hands on my shoulders.

I have my eyes look right and I see part of Anko-sensei's face. "Hinata. It's okay. Naruto and Sasuke are not going to get seriously hurt. You just need to demonstrate how a Hyuga fights, and I want to see how Naruto and Sasuke's instincts match up to a Hyuga assault with the Byakugan. Maybe there's nothing to worry about and I'm overthinking things. But you have to do this."

"I don't want to." Did I say that out loud?

"Hmm?" Anko-sensei heard me. I _did_ say it out loud!

What do I do? Father says I should never talk back to my elders! I should just do what I'm told! But this . . . this just seems so wrong, I can't . . .

"Hinata, are you okay?"

Please stop, Anko-sensei. Please stop.

She's in front of me now. "Hinata?"

"I . . . I can't do it . . ."

I expect Anko-sensei to frown at me, or yell at me, or even slap me across the face, but instead she just slowly nods her head. I see her brown eyes are full of concern more than any sort of annoyance. That's how she always reacts. She doesn't get angry, not towards me. So why do I feel like she's going to strike me? "I see." Anko-sensei turns around, holding her head like she's got a headache. "I guess I'm going to have to ask around to get a different Hyuga here to practice sparring."

Another Hyuga? No, that can't happen! He or she won't hold back against Sasuke or Naruto! They will get hurt for sure!

I'm not going to let that happen!

Focus, Hinata! Focus!

"Byakugan!"

I see them. I see Naruto's chakra points and flows. He has so much chakra, more chakra than I have ever seen in anyone else besides his own mom.

Attack. I have to attack. Pretend this isn't Naruto. Pretend . . . pretend . . .

I charge at Naruto, screaming like an animal. He blocks me as I aim my Gentle Fists at him, and then sidesteps me as I lunge at him over and over.

The more I try, the harder and harder it is to hit him. It's like he's becoming blurrier for some reason. Why? Why am I having trouble hitting him? Is it like he used some sort of genjutsu on me? Naruto doesn't know any genjutsu, I don't think. This doesn't make any sense . . .

I can't believe I'm doing this. Attacking this handsome boy who cares about me. I'm going to hurt him if I hit him. I know I will. I don't want this, Anko-sensei. I just . . .

Where did Naruto go?

The world looks normal again, I don't see any other chakra gateways anymore.

Why is everything so blurry . . .?

"Hinata . . . Hinata, stop." Anko-sensei's voice, from behind me.

I turn and I see her with her arms wide. "Hinata, it's okay. I shouldn't be making you do this. You can stop."

Her arms are around me. "You can stop. I made a mistake. I'll find another way. Just calm down, Hinata."

I'm crying. That's what I'm doing. I'm crying because I couldn't handle it. I couldn't handle attacking my closest friend.

I'm so pathetic. The clan is right. I'm never going to amount to anything.

I want to get angry like Naruto or Sasuke do but I just don't have it in me.

I just don't.

Something tells me I never will.

* * *

We're sitting by the river now, having lunch. Sasuke and Naruto are both giving me space, and I just feel embarrassed. I can't believe I cried like that. Just because I was attacking Naruto. I'm such an idiot.

"Look," Anko-sensei says. "It's pretty obvious I'm gonna have to find another way to get you guys some practice against the Hyugas. I shouldn't have asked Hinata to provide that practice, you guys have been through a lot together, especially after the Land of Snow and Ame, and asking you guys to fight each other full stop isn't going to work."

She looks at me. "Hinata, do you know of anyone who could make a good sparring partner who would know not to rough Sasuke and Naruto up too badly?"

She's asking me for my opinion again. She is always asking me to speak up. It still feels weird, even after all these months. "Um . . . well, there's Kou. He's like . . . my bodyguard. He's a chuunin . . . and a good fighter."

"Well, that'll work," Anko-sensei says. "Anyone else who might work?"

"Um . . . I can't come up with anyone else right now." I almost want to mention my sister, but I'm afraid that if she gives Naruto or Sasuke a good fight, they'll just find me even weaker than I already am.

"All right. Well, that's a place to start. Where does Kou usually hang out around this hour?" Anko-sensei asks.

"He's . . . he's usually in the main branch's residence," I reply.

"Sounds good to me." Anko-sensei grunts as she gets off the ground. "I'll be back in twenty minutes or so, just a quick sprint there and back. You guys behave yourselves."

"You know us, Anko-sensei," Naruto says in his famously cheerful way.

Anko-sensei gives Naruto a weird grin. "Yeah, that's kinda what I'm afraid of. See ya."

She leaves anyway.

I look down at my bento. Anko-sensei tries really hard, but she usually makes a mistake in preparing it. Apparently she's tried to make bento for over five years and is still messing it up. I guess some people just can't make food.

Eating it, though, makes me feel a little bit better. It doesn't taste as good but gives me a warmer feeling inside than eating what the Hyuga chefs prepare. I don't know why.

"So, this is where you're training."

That voice? No, not now. Not here.

Not Neji.

There he is, to my right. Long dark hair loosely tied behind his back, and his gray eyes looking even more hardened than Father's.

Sasuke and Naruto have both already stood up. "Can I help you?" Sasuke asks.

Neji's got his arms folded in front of him. "I've been watching the whole time, actually. Your jonin-sensei's a joke if she wasn't able to detect me this entire time."

Naruto growls at him. "You take that back! She's one of the best jonin in the village!"

"Just because she's made full jonin doesn't mean she deserves it. From what I understand, the Hokage had to think it through about promoting your sensei to full jonin a _lot_."

Neji shakes his head. "I don't understand why they'd assign to two of you to her. You both have a lot of potential she's wasting because she doesn't know what she's doing. You I can semi-understand, Naruto Uzumaki, because you're close to Anko Mitarashi, it's almost nepotism. Why you, Sasuke Uchiha, are assigned to this team, is a bigger mystery. I thought they would've handed you to the most experienced jonin-sensei available, Asuma Sarutobi."

And then he looks at _me_. "But you . . . I completely understand. Wasted potential is perfect for an inexperienced sensei."

"Shut up!" Naruto shouts. He's already stepping in front of me, like he always does when he thinks I'm in trouble. "Don't talk to her that way, you jerk!"

"Do I really need to show you how out of your league you are?" Neji asks.

"Wrong! I'll show you how out of _my_ league you are!" Naruto exclaims.

That's when Neji attacks. His Byakugan is turned on, and he's attacking Naruto full force. Naruto is taken off guard, and he can't defend himself! Neji's moving too fast!

"Naruto!" Sasuke comes charging in. He's trying to help Naruto out, make it two-on-one, but Neji quickly turns the table on both Naruto and Sasuke, spinning towards Sasuke and overwhelming Sasuke with a series of quick blows, and then as Naruto staggers towards him, Neji just hits him in the face and knocks him to the ground.

"My dose! My dose! You shupid jerksh!" Naruto moans from the ground, his hands clutching his face.

My heart is pounding. Why, Neji? Why pick on Naruto like this? You didn't need to go _this_ far. You could've seriously hurt him!

"Damn it . . . my body feels funny," Sasuke groans. "What did you do?"

"The Byakugan allows me to pinpoint your chakra currents . . . and where the best spots are to cut them off. You both will be out of commission for a while," Neji says.

And then he looks at _me_. "You."

He doesn't even refer to me by my name. I'm just an "it" to him. It shows how little respect he has for me, not that I've earned it from him. I'll always just be an annoyance, to Neji, barely worth being talked to. I don't know if I can ever change his mind.

Neji just smiles at me. He looks almost _amused_. "And those two jokers think they're ready for the Chuunin Exam. I don't think they are. And if they're not ready, I doubt you are ready too, Hinata."

Stand up. You need to stand up, Hinata. That he's not intimidating you by towering over you. He's taller than you anyway but it won't look as bad this way.

"Why are you here? Why are you doing this?" I ask.

Neji smiles. "You're not as ignored as you think you are, Hinata. I've noticed how you've been acting lately, shrinking away from the rest of our clan. You have an incompetent sensei and you know it, you know you've lost the only chance you have at proving to your father that you could still be the heir to the clan."

"Shut up!" Naruto shouts from the ground. "You just walked in here and attacked us!"

"How's it gonna be in the Exams?" Neji asks. "I at least gave you a few seconds of warning this time. You won't even have that in the Exam."

"Then we get better! There's still some time left! That's all I'll need to kick your ass!" Naruto shouts.

Neji chuckles. "Somehow, I doubt it. You have a weak link on your team, and that is Hinata herself. She is even less ready than the two of you."

Neji . . . please stop . . . stop it . . . I'm just trying my best here . . .

Neji shakes his head and sighs. "You may be able to skate by with raw talent, Sasuke Uchiha, and you, Naruto Uzumaki, may find some way to gut it out, because that's what strong-willed idiots can do sometimes. But neither of you will be able to do that if Hinata doesn't have a hope in hell of passing the Exams. Just _look_ at her. She did _nothing_ while I attacked the two of you!"

He's right. I did nothing. I could've stood up right away and I didn't. I know I'm weak, Neji, but do you need to rub it in my friends' faces? Do you want me to be completely cut off from everyone else? Do you want me to be completely alone without anyone caring about me at all?

Of course you do. You've always hated me. Ever since we were kids, you've always been cutting me down and saying I'll never amount to anything. And the more it looks like it's going to be true, the more you bring it up. Naruto would say you're "shoving it in my face".

You won't stop until I am nothing. I don't know what I've done to make you feel that way, Neji, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry for making you angry, whatever it is I've done.

What should I do? He's just standing there, tearing me down. Naruto and Sasuke would have attacked him by now, like they just did . . .

Especially Naruto . . .

He wouldn't stand for this at all . . .

Focus. Focus, Hinata.

"Byakugan!"

There they are. Neji's chakra currents and points, staring me right in the face.

"You're going to _attack_ me?" Neji's already assuming his Gentle Fist fighting stance. "If you can land a single hit on me, Hinata, maybe you have a shot at passing the Exams. Maybe."

What would . . . what would Naruto be doing in this situation? Or Sasuke?

Naruto would . . . he would just be charging Neji with everything he has. Well then, maybe I should too! What do I have to lose?

I rush him and try to strike him, but Neji uses his fists to deflect and remanuever my blows so I don't make a dent to his chakra. He's fast, faster than my little sister. It's becoming clear that trying to fight him like Naruto would is a big mistake. I'm about to wind up like Naruto usually does . . .

Spots. Spots in front of my eyes and a colossal headache.

He's struck me in the head and . . .

His right palm slams into my guts and I'm sliding across the grass, staring at the sky and seeing lights flicker in my vision, which has returned to normal.

I didn't even get close to hitting him.

"Leave her alone!" Naruto. He's trying to . . .

I sit up just in time to see Neji grab Naruto and swing him into Sasuke, who had also gotten up and was making his own attack. They both crash into the ground, Naruto on top of Sasuke.

There's no amusement in Neji's eyes anymore. Just anger. "They still defend you, Hinata. I'll grant you that you've picked up some loyal friends. But their desire to protect you will get them killed unless you do one of two things."

"What are they?" I ask, though I'm sure I know the answer.

"Number one, you quit your pretending and let Naruto and Sasuke find a teammate who can actually help them. Number two . . . you toughen up."

"Toughen . . . up?"

"But that's not going to happen. I can see that by looking at you now. You _could_ toughen up but you-"

"Will you _shut up_!" That's Naruto again.

Neji's palm slaps his face. "You just don't stop, do you?"

"Your version of 'toughening up' will make Hinata not herself anymore! Your version of 'toughening up' is hatred and anger and being a general jerk! Hinata's not like that, she'll never be like that, and _you_ most certainly will not make her be like that!"

Naruto . . . thank you so much.

Neji . . . get away from him . . . stop picking on them both . . .

Please . . .

What can I do?

I'm not good enough to hit him. Not in hand-to-hand. What can I . . .

Wait . . . Anko-sensei taught me . . .

"Byakugan!"

Neji's spinning back towards me. "Okay. You actually surprised me there. I didn't expect you'd come back for more."

Focus. Focus the chakra and send it right into the water. Use the Gentle Fist to mold them. Mold all of it.

Even with just seeing his chakra points, all I need to hear is Neji's tone of voice to know that I've frightened him. I've caught him off guard.

"What the hell is this? What has your damn sensei taught you?"

"Water Style! Water Needle Technique!"

I shoot them all right at Neji.

He tries to get away. He almost does.

I see a couple hit him in the legs and that sends him falling to his knees. I disengage the Byakugan and I see Neji staring at me in total shock.

For a second, I almost enjoy Neji being at my mercy. And then I realize that I'm wrong for feeling this way. It's like Naruto says . . . I won't be _me_ anymore. That's why Naruto's never angry at me for my weakness . . . because Naruto doesn't find _me_ as a weakness. He thinks I can be true to myself without being weak.

That's why I find Naruto so amazing. He thinks I can be who I am and still get strong. That's I'm not a liability at all, that I am just as important as Sasuke and he both are. I don't know if that is true but I wish . . . I wish he is right about me.

"I hit you," I say. "Now leave us alone. Please, Neji."

"You hit me with a cheap trick!" Neji growls. "Hyuga clan members don't learn ninjutsu! Your sensei doesn't respect our ways at all! She's trying to turn you into a different kind of ninja!"

Sasuke's voice from behind me. "Nevertheless, she still hit you."

Neji's fists punch the ground. "Damn it!"

Naruto's voice, but this time, it's at my left side. "What Anko taught her is how do use her Byakugan and her chakra nature together in a way to give her a long-range attack. It's called 'versatility', jerk. Hinata will be stronger than you'll ever be, as long as your only move is just trying to punch our lights out."

Neji growls again, and then he rises to his feet. "This isn't over."

I know, Neji. This won't be over. It won't be over even after the Exams, I'm sure.

You won't stop until you're proven right about me.

Neji springs away into the trees, probably to go find his own team. Meanwhile, Naruto, Sasuke, and I are all alone once again.

I turn back towards Naruto, and I see him standing there, holding his nose. Neji wasn't even going all out and Naruto's clearly bleeding. And yet, he smiles like he always does. "You okay, Hinata?"

Why ask about me? I was barely touched compared to you, Naruto. "Please . . . don't worry about me. What about you, Naruto?" Naruto grins. "This is nothing. Look, it already stopped bleeding."

That's when blood comes oozing out of Naruto's left nostril and he quickly tries to stop it. "Oops. Um . . . tissue, please? Anyone?"

Naruto . . . why do you act like there's nothing wrong? Like Neji didn't hurt you?

"I . . . I have one, Naruto." I walk over to him and pull a tissue out of my sweatshirt pocket and Naruto quickly stops the bleeding that way.

"See? Nothing doing!" Naruto says.

Naruto . . . why . . .

Wait . . . why am I . . .

My arms are . . .

What am I doing?

What am I doing?

I can't believe what I just did. I want to die.

"Uh, Hinata . . ."

I couldn't stop myself. Naruto, I'm sorry . . . I feel so stupid, but . . .

I can hear Sasuke chuckling. "It's just a hug, Naruto."

"Oh, yeah. Heh."

Naruto, have you gotten taller? You feel stronger, too. Stronger than when you hugged me after we came back from the Land of Snow.

I have to get stronger somehow. You're going to be an amazing ninja, Naruto. I can't hold you back. I won't forgive myself if I hold you back.

Because, Naruto . . . I . . .

"Okay, what's going on here?"

Anko-sensei!

All of a sudden, I've squirmed away from Naruto and I see Anko-sensei, and Kou too!

"It was nothing," Naruto says. "Neji Hyuga felt like picking on us, but Hinata here made him pay for it. Didn't ya, Hinata?"

I . . . "It . . . it wasn't much of anything . . ."

Sasuke's hand on my right shoulder. "You were the one who managed to hit him, Hinata. You did better than Naruto and I did."

"I . . . kinda cheated, Sasuke . . . like Neji said . . ."

"Neji?" Kou suddenly runs up to me. "Lady Hinata, did Neji do _anything_ to you?"

"He, uh, hit me a couple of times . . . don't worry about me . . . Naruto and Sasuke got more beaten up than I did . . ."

"Damn it . . ." Anko growls. "I _knew_ he was watching . . . I didn't think he would be brazen enough to pull something."

I see her hands clench into fists, and then they relax. She suddenly walks up besides Kou. "Hinata, I need you to tell me _everything_ about your relationship with Neji Hyuga. Now."

"W-What?" Anko-sensei, please! I've already told you that I like Naruto! Why do I need to tell you this too?

Kou's protesting too. "Hang on, Anko Mitarashi! This is Hyuga clan business!"

"Your 'Hyuga clan business' got all three of my students attacked!" Anko shouts back. "Also, I am Hinata's sensei! I think 'Hyuga clan business' applies to me and both of my other students here too!"

I've never seen another person outside of the clan try to step in for me so much before. I want to believe Anko-sensei is a genuinely good person, I really do. But every time I turn my Byakugan on and see that malicious chakra, Orochimaru's chakra twisted up inside her in a knot . . .

I don't know. I want to believe in her but I still can't.

Kou sighs. "Look . . . this is really personal business."

"It just became personal to me too. I will not tolerate my students being attacked in Konoha where they're supposed to be safe, Kou. If Neji Hyuga has a personal issue with Hinata, or vice versa, I need to hear about it. I thought Neji was just spying on us, otherwise I never would have left them here."

Kou looks down. Anko's eyes seem to shimmer. She's _pleading_ to know. "Please. I have to know, so this will never happen again . . . and so they'll be ready if Neji pulls something in the Exam."

Anko-sensei . . .

"I'll tell you, Anko-sensei," I finally say.

"You will?" Anko-sensei asks. It takes me a moment to realize that Kou said the exact same thing.

"Yes . . . I'll tell you . . . why Neji . . . why Neji's the way he is."

And so I tell them.

* * *

"Geez, I learned more about the Hyuga clan than I ever wanted to know there," Naruto sighs as we're walking through Konoha. Training's over, but Naruto has personal training with his mother later today so he can get his Chakra Chains and some wind ninjutsu practiced before the exam.

I don't have anyone who wants to give me special training. Kou's a chuunin, and they won't let Kou give me additional practice. Yet they don't try to help me. I don't mean anything to my elders, they already think I'm a failure. And honestly I find it difficult to argue with them. I just don't have it in me to resist all the time like Naruto and Sasuke both can.

"I'm sorry, Naruto," I just say.

"Come on, nothing to be sorry for. Neji's a jerk, I already knew that much. But if he's got something against your family, he should get over it already. He's just going to get someone badly hurt or killed if he keeps this up," Naruto says.

"I hope that doesn't happen," I reply.

"It won't," Naruto says confidently. "I'll kick his butt if he tries this again. Believe it."

"Yeah." I try to smile at that remark, but I can't help but feel that Naruto has no idea what he's getting himself into. There's a reason why conflicts within my clan stay there, why we don't drag outsiders into it. The outsiders are generally out of their league.

"Hey, Hinata," Naruto says all of a sudden.

"Yeah?" I already feel weird, being asked this. I just have this sense that Naruto's going to ask something-

"Um, I'm doing some training with my mom later today. I'm sure she can try to give you some taijutsu pointers too, if you want to train with us today."

Really? He really asked me this? Naruto, I . . . I don't know what to say, I . . .

"O-Okay. Sure . . ."

"Sounds good! Let's go to my house and get some good eats! My mom's the best!" Naruto says. I feel his hand patting me on the back, and each time my heart slams against my chest harder and harder.

Naruto . . . I'm glad you care. I really am. It just makes me want to be with you, more and more.

We're right outside his mom's house, and the windows are wide-open. I can already smell something delicious being prepared inside. And it has that personal touch to it, I can already tell, something different than what I receive in the Hyuga clan.

It just feels warm and caring and comforting. Like it could be home.

"Hey, Hinata? You okay? You're spacing out there," Naruto asks.

"I'm . . . I'm okay . . ." I look at Naruto and all of a sudden I see him blush too and look away from me.

He's been doing that a bit lately. I think he likes me too. I _hope_ he likes me, and he just isn't embarrassed . . . or, or something . . .

"Will . . . will your mother mind if I . . . if I'm here too?" I ask.

"Of course not! My mom loves visitors! Come on!"

He takes my hand and leads me to the house.

I don't think he has any idea what this gesture means. Naruto . . . he's just trying to help. That's all that goes through his mind, trying to help people, trying to make them feel better.

That's why I like him so much. Maybe even l . . .

I . . .

I can't go that far yet. I just want to be with him.

Because he makes me feel like I matter to him. No, I _know_ I matter to him.

And that's something I'll always treasure.

Because I know what it feels like to not matter or worse. And I know Naruto knows how that feels too, before Anko-sensei entered his life, before his mom came back.

I may never be able to trust Anko-sensei however much I want to. But I know I can trust Naruto. I can trust him with my life because of how he is. Because he's always honest, because he always cares, no matter who it is, or why the reason is.

I'll get stronger, Naruto. I promise. I won't hold you back. I'll make sure you can make it to the final round even if I can't.

That's how much you matter to _me_.

And . . . and when I show you that . . . I hope you 'believe it' too.

My closest friend.


	60. Naruto Side-Story

This is the last chapter of the story. Enjoy. I'm sure people have been wondering what's been taking so long for a POV for . . . well . . . this guy. XD Well, now you get one.

* * *

**Chapter Sixty: Naruto Side-Story**

My name is Naruto Uzumaki! I am the son of Kushina Uzumaki, the strongest kunoichi in Konoha! I am the son of Minato Namikaze, the 4th Hokage! And someday, I'm going to be Hokage too and everyone's gonna respect me and my mom! Believe it!

"Naruto, your motivation is as strong as ever, but maybe you should eat breakfast first before worrying about becoming Hokage."

Uh oh. "Did I just say that out loud?"

"Yeah, you did."

Turns out I'm sitting up on my bed, and Mom is standing right outside the door, a silly smile on her face.

Well, _this_ is embarrassing. "Um, good morning, Mom, and stuff. Heh."

Mom shakes her head in this 'Mom' way. "Come on, Naruto. It's seven-fifteen in the morning. You need to take your shower and eat. Anko is making final preparations for you to be entered in the Chuunin Exam so there's no training with her today. That means you're doing a double session with me today starting at eleven o'clock. You're gonna need it 'cause the Exams start tomorrow."

Aw, man. Where does the time go? I thought I had more time!

Mom's been trying to help me with wind nature chakra and the Chakra Chains, but I don't have the third chain or a wind nature attack down yet. It's really hard! I don't know how Mom makes it look so easy!

At the same time, I gotta get this right. I'm not going to bomb the Exam, I'm passing it right in front of the hometown crowd! I'm not waiting another six months to take my Exam in Ame! I just got out of that dump! Too much rain, too many buildings everywhere, and too many jerks trying to kill me! Forget it!

"I'm a-movin', Mom! Don't worry about me, I'll be right downstairs!"

"Sounds good, Naruto. Just don't take too long."

All right, grab your clothes and-

Wait. Make the bed first. Remember what Mom says. Always make your bed.

Okay, bed made! Now let's charge into the shower!

So what if there's a lot of training! I'm getting those techniques down today!

I am not going into the Exam without ninjutsu ready to go! Pretty boy Sasuke's learned all kinds of stuff thanks to his super-special Sharingan! Even Hinata's learned that Water Needle Technique in addition to her Gentle Fist stuff.

Focus, Naruto! Focus and get it down! With three Chakra Chains and a wind attack I'll be ready to plow through this Exam!

I'm not letting Mom down! And I won't let Sasuke and Hinata down either! I'm not going to let that happen!

Believe it!

* * *

A lot of kids like making fun of me because I hug and kiss my mom in public. 'Mama's boy', they call me. 'Lame', they call me. 'Never gonna grow up', they say about me.

They can go soak their heads. They know _nothing_.

They take their moms and dads for granted. They view their moms and dads as eternal safety nets or something, and don't give them the love they deserve as parents. They just assume their moms and dads will be there for them when they need their moms and dads to. They assume their moms and dads are out to make their lives miserable when they get scolded and lectured and grounded and all that kind of stuff.

They don't ever think that maybe one day their moms and dads won't be there anymore. Even the ninja kids do that if they've got both parents. They don't ever think their parents won't come back.

Whatever. I'm not making the same mistake as they all do!

I'll never know Dad. He's gone forever. He died in the first hours of my life, fighting for me, fighting for my village. He died a hero.

But Mom? She's here. She was gone for a long time, so long I thought she was dead too. But she's here. She's a hero too.

And she will know I love her every single day we are together. I'm not taking Mom for granted. I never will.

She takes on the toughest missions because she's the strongest kunoichi in Konoha. Her _easy_ missions are the A-ranks. She comes home with her uniform torn up and her flak vest beaten and sheared so many times, and she laughs it off because she doesn't want me to worry about her. After all, she never has a scratch! But I know that's not true. I know Mom's getting hurt out there. She gets hurt and she gets better right away because she's a jinchuuriki. She has the Nine-Tailed Fox inside her. The Nine Tails' energy heals her so it's like she never got hurt at all.

But who knows? Maybe someday, she won't come back. She'll be sealed inside a scroll reserved for transporting the dead instead. That's because she takes on the tough missions, the missions where it's likely someone's gonna get killed. And because Mom is strong, because Mom is brave, because Mom is a hero, she takes these missions on and comes back home and tells me she's okay because she loves me too and she doesn't want me to worry.

Mom, I'm always gonna worry. I'm gonna worry because I love you and I don't want you to come home inside a scroll.

That's why I'm never taking Mom for granted. I know what it was like to never have a parent at all. And I know someday, even if Mom lives a long life, eventually she'll be gone. I won't have her around anymore. That's how life works. It sucks but that's how it works.

But as long as she's here, she will be the most precious thing in the world to me. And she will know it. Because, well . . .

Because she's Mom.

And she's right there in the kitchen, smiling at me brightly.

"Oh man, this smells good! Thank you, Mom!"

I run forward and hug her. She quickly returns it. Her hugs are always tight, a little too tight, but they've been getting looser lately. Mom's been smiling a lot more, she seems a little tired sometimes but she hasn't been crying on and off the way she used to. It's like she's been carrying a weight inside her this whole time and it's no longer there.

"Naruto, it's just breakfast!"

"It's not 'just' breakfast! It's an awesome breakfast! Thank you!"

"Naruto-" She laughs as I kiss her on the cheek. "Naruto, well, um, you're welcome!"

I love you, Mom. Every time I see you, especially like this, smiling and happy and laughing, I feel like I can do anything.

Because you're amazing. You'll always be amazing. And I'm gonna make sure that when I become Hokage you'll be thought of as a hero too, just like Dad. You deserve it, Mom. You come home and get treated like dirt by most people, and yet you still fight for them because you love this place, because you love me. If that isn't heroism, if that isn't sacrifice, I don't know what is.

That's why it's even more important that you know I'll always love you.

So you know everything you do means something, something _good_.

You're the best. You'll always be the best.

"Are you having a growth spurt?" Mom looks all around me. "I think you've shot up another inch in the last month."

"I hope so! I can't wait until I'm taller than all of the other genin! The future Hokage's gotta be the big guy in town, believe it!"

Mom just laughs and shakes her head. "Being _physically_ big isn't everything, Naruto."

"Oh, I know that. But it helps."

Mom smiles. "True, it helps. But your father wasn't the tallest guy in the village either. He was average-sized. What made him the 'big guy' wasn't his muscles or his height, Naruto."

"It was how he acted with every decision he made," I reply. Mom's told me this a couple of times over the last couple of months. "His decisions made him a leader, a leader everyone would trust."

"That's right. Don't forget that, Naruto."

"I won't, Mom. I promise."

I know Sasuke's the leader right now. He's been the leader since Anko first tested us. That was because he was the one who came up with the plan that impressed Anko enough to pass us.

I blew it, Sasuke didn't. I can't let that drive me crazy. I just need to prove myself and become a chuunin. And I know I'll get my chance at becoming a leader and I'll be just as good as Dad was at it. That's what being a good leader is too. Knowing when to follow orders from a different leader. That's something else Mom told me.

"Thank you, Naruto. Just remember, no matter what you do, your father's proud of you too."

"I know, Mom." She's been saying that a lot to me over the last month. I hope I'm making Dad proud, wherever he is. I know he's watching.

Mom pats me on the shoulders and she turns back to the stove. "Now let's eat before the food gets cold. I didn't spend the last half-hour cooking this for us to eat it cold."

"You bet, Mom. Thank you very much again. This is gonna be a great."

Mom chuckles. "I hope so! You're very welcome."

You're the one who's welcome, Mom. I mean that. No matter what happens, Mom, I am never going to do what the other kids do. I'm not gonna treat you for granted, I'm not gonna yell at you to go away and leave me alone, and I'm definitely not gonna wish I've never been born either.

You don't deserve any of that crap.

What you deserve is the best I can be, Mom.

And that's what you're gonna see when these Exams get going.

* * *

Mom's off to some secret meeting with the Hokage again. She's been doing a lot of those lately, but I know they're important. You don't meet with the Hokage unless it's important.

But that's okay. Mom's birthday was a while ago but we agreed to celebrate it late because we wound up spending her birthday in Ame fighting bad guys. This gives me a couple of hours to find something good for her out of my cash and sneak it back home before she's done. I've been saving up for this, I wonder what she'd like?

She hardly wears any jewelry. I wonder if she'd like to have some? No wait, she could care less about jewelry. She wears the bare minimum in makeup when she's in civilian wear, now that I think about it. Mom would want something else.

Maybe flowers? I haven't given her flowers for the last couple of birthdays. Maybe that's what I should do this time.

Too bad the best flower shop in town is run by the Yamanakas. I can't stand their daughter, Ino Yamanaka. She's a hardcore Sasuke groupie and thinks I'm a total idiot and she helped label me as a 'mama's boy' in the first place! She spread the rumor that I do some weird-ass 'Sexy Technique' where I turn into a girl or something! Thinking of giving her my cash makes me want to scream!

No. What Mom would say is to just swallow it. I may need Ino someday. She's just a kid like me. We're all gonna grow up, and maybe Ino will turn out like her parents, who aren't bad people at all.

Hmm . . . nah. Probably not.

But let's put it this way: if I get the chance in the Chuunin Exams, she's gonna learn that I am _not_ a 'mama's boy'. She'll learn that the hard way.

Hey wait, why is there a square rock in the middle of the walk?

"This isn't gonna work, Konohamaru."

"Shut it, Moegi! He's right up ahead. We're gonna get him."

The rock is _talking_. And it has multiple personalties!

Wait, get your head screwed back on straight. They just revealed who they are right then and there! It's Konohamaru and his gang of-

Whoop, there they go. They're clearly not after me. I wonder who they're trying to stalk.

Good luck on _that_ disguise working on anybody, though.

Huh? Down the path there's Sasuke . . . they couldn't be after _him_, could they?

Hmm . . . let's watch this. This could be interesting! Into the trees at the side of the path I go!

They don't even get close before Sasuke turns around and throws a wooden shuriken right in front of them.

The square rock leaps into the air and _poofs_ in a cloud of smoke. "GAAAAAAAAAAH!" all _three_ little kids scream and they huge each other.

Sasuke sighs, and then he chuckles . . .surprisingly warmly for someone who just chucked a shuriken at little kids, even if it was just a wooden one. "For future reference, rocks aren't shaped like squares. If you're gonna disguise yourself as a rock, it need to be more of round or oval shape."

The one kid with spiky brown hair who isn't quivering in shock stands up straight. "Right, got it, boss!"

'_Boss_'?

Wait a minute, all three of those kids are wearing blue shirts just like Sasuke always does!

Don't tell me they're Sasuke groupies too!

"Also," Sasuke says as he walks forward and picks up the wooden shuriken, "If you _do_ get a warning shot thrown at you, don't break your disguise right away. Doesn't mean you're caught, or even if you are, you might still catch your target in a vulnerable position."

He flips the wooden shuriken in the air and catches it. It clearly has blunt edges otherwise Sasuke would've just given himself a hand full of splinters. "If you guys had maintained your disguise and I picked them up in front of you, you may have had a shot at taking me out too."

"Oh wow, that sounds like a really good idea, boss! That's why you're gonna be the next Hokage, right boss?"

Sasuke . . . pretty boy Sasuke, as the next Hokage?

Come on! No way!

Why is it always about Sasuke? Great, even the little kids in the village like Sasuke more than me! How the heck am I gonna become Hokage if the kids younger than me idolize Sasuke?

"Well, um . . ." Sasuke has a really awkward look on his face.

Konohamaru turns to the kid with the glasses and the running nose. "Anyway, Udon, you gotta write that down!"

"I got nothing to write with, Konohamaru."

"Darn it! What about you Moegi?"

"I don't have anything either!"

"Aw, man!"

Great. Just watch. When these kids grow up Sasuke's gonna wind up being their jonin-sensei or something and that'll start Sasuke on the road to becoming Hokage instead of me!

I gotta get myself involved with these little kids. I'm gonna have to be a jonin-sensei too, just like my dad was!

I jump down and grab a couple of small pebbles, and jump back up into the tree. So far, none of them have spotted me. I'll teach them something, all right! I'll teach them a _true_ sneak attack!

Then I'll be on the fast track to being cooler than Sasuke!

Wait, I hear Mom's voice in my head. "_Naruto, you can't let a sense of rivalry turn you into someone no one wants to be around. Or, in other words, a jerk._"

Gah, is that what I'm doing? This is making my head hurt!

Wait, something else is happening. There's someone else on the path.

Oh great, sheepdog bangs Sakura. What's this freak of nature up to? And why is she staring at Sasuke?

"Why . . . why are you spending the last day before the Exams playing with little kids, Sasuke?"

"Huh?" Sasuke turns around, and his eyes widen. "Oh, Sakura."

"Hey, who are you lady?" Konohamaru barks. "Wait a minute, I know you! Sakura Haruno!"

"Yes, that would be me."

"Why the heck do you care what the boss is doing unless . . ." Suddenly, Konohamaru gets a knowing gleam in his eye. "Unless you're his girlfriend. Oh man, you're a smooth operator, boss! Way to go!"

"He is _not_ my boyfriend!" Suddenly Sakura winds up and punches Sasuke right in the face.

Sasuke had no clue it was coming. Granted, I didn't know it was coming either, but let's pretend I did.

Sasuke bounces off the ground and crashes into a fence, moaning. "What . . . what did I do?"

Konohamaru and his pals look at Sasuke in horror, and then spin back towards Sakura. "What kinda girlfriend _are_ you? You really _are_ psycho!"

Sakura responds by cracking her knuckles.

Oh, this ain't gonna be pretty.

"GAH!" _Donk_.

Argh, what would Mom or Dad do?

They would've already put a stop to this, that's what they would be doing. Crap, Sakura scares me half to death, but . . .

A leader doesn't stand by and let people get beaten up. No matter who they are. Sakura's crossing a real fine line her bonking Konohamaru on the head.

Plus, Sakura keeps picking on Mom. I know Mom has been visiting her house a ton lately, and I doubt Sakura says any kind things towards Mom while she's there.

All right, Sakura. Strike two. You bashed Sasuke in the head, and now bashed a little kid. Next strike, I'm gonna do something. Even though it'll probably shorten my lifespan by a good amount. I've already had to punch your lights out before you got my Mom thrown into jail again. I'll do it again to stop this.

No wait, Sakura's walking away. Maybe I don't have to do anything at all.

Both Sasuke and Konohamaru are groaning as they're struggling to their feet. Konohamaru's looking right at Sasuke. "I don't think she's human! I mean, she can try to hide it behind those bangs all she wants, but you can tell how wide her forehead is! Unreal!"

Sakura stops walking.

Something tells me Konohamaru just made her _snap_.

She slowly turns around, a crazed look in her eye, a look that makes _everyone_ whimper, including Sasuke!

I would be really enjoying this if this wasn't Sakura doing the intimidating right now.

Suddenly, Sakura charges right at them, and everyone, including Sasuke, turn around and run away like their lives depend on it.

All right, Naruto. This is your chance! You've gotten the best of Sakura before! If you can protect Mom from her, you can protect Sasuke and the little kids too! This is what being a leader is all about, right here! Believe it!

I follow them from the side of the road. All I gotta do is chuck one of these pebbles at Sakura's feet and I can make her fall and then I'll make sure she doesn't get right back up and keep chasing the others.

I just need the perfect chance.

But then they round the corner and there's two other genin standing in the way, and everyone skids to a stop, except for Konohamaru who slams right into the guy dressed in black.

Oh great.

Everyone stops, including Sakura. They're all _staring_ at the two new genin.

I've never seen these guys before. One of them is a blonde girl dressed in lavender and holding some long pole or giant fan or something. The dude dressed in black has a weird thing with brown hair tied around his back too.

Great. Weirdos are probably here for the Chuunin Exam, and they're not from our village.

This won't end well.

"Do you need something?" the dude dressed in black asks.

"Uh . . . just running from my life, from the scary girl chasing-" Konohamaru turns around. "_GAAAAAAAAAH_! She's right behind us!"

"Oh, give it a rest," Sakura growls. "Who the hell are you two?"

"I oughta be asking you punks the same question!" The dude in black grabs Konohamaru by the collar of his shirt then. "And let me tell you, you better give me a good answer. I don't like punks."

The lavender-clad girl speaks up. Her voice is more mature than her looks suggest. She looks fourteen or fifteen but her voice sounds like it could come out of someone ten years older. And it's_ deep_. Deeper than Mom's, deeper than Sasuke's mom, hell, even deeper than that Guren lady from the Sound Village! "Kankuro, you really shouldn't be doing this! This is a diplomatic incident waiting to happen!"

"Come off it, Temari. They pissed me off, and now I want a little payback-"

Sasuke's already striking. And his weapons aren't made of wood this time. The kunai are _real_.

Kankuro quickly re-positions himself though, spinning towards Sasuke and using Konohamaru like a human shield. "Oh no you don't!"

Sasuke stops. "Let him go. You have no right to pick on him."

"He's the one who crashed into _me_ remember? As far as I'm concerned, I get payback!" Kankuro snaps.

He's older than me too, but doesn't look as old as Temari. Maybe a year or two younger. His voice has already changed though, like Sasuke's. However, with the purple paint stripes all over his face and the rest of his body hidden by his black outfit, I can't tell what the guy looks like! Besides the fact he must be roasting in there, it's the middle of summer!

Temari sighs. "Kankuro, seriously, stop. I don't want you hurting anybody."

"Give it a rest. You're blushing, your motivations are clear as day," Kankuro snaps.

Temari looks down. "Fine. Do what you want, but I'm having no part of it."

I have _no_ idea what that's all about, but you know what, that's not my problem.

Sakura steps forward. "This is my fault. You want someone to fight, make it me."

She cracks her knuckles again. "I badly need some stress relief right now anyway. Life hasn't been good to me, but maybe putting your head up your ass will make me feel better."

Knowing Sakura, she probably _can_ stick Kankuro's head up his own ass! She's going to go for the overkill on this guy, I can see it in her eyes. And she won't care if she gets Konohamaru hurt in the process!

I gotta do something before this gets even more crazy. I have to.

Looks like these rocks will comes in handy. I'll just aim one right for Kankuro's right hand, the hand holding Konohamaru up, and let loose! And then try to scare 'em away or something!

"Now . . . let's see . . . how do I want to do this . . . maybe twist you into a pretzel? Or just bury your face into the ground like an ostrich? Give me an idea, you little punk."

Gonna be doing this completely on the fly! I can't screw this up!

Take this!

"_Ow_!" I got him!

Konohamaru drops to the ground, and Kankuro's holding his right hand. "What the-"

Okay. Let's do this. "Leave them alone! You're way outta your league here! Believe it!"

I channel my chakra into my left hand holding my remaining pubble, and I use the chakra to increase my strength and crush the pebble, and let the dust fall from my hand. "Get lost."

Heh heh, I sounded so cool there.

"Naruto!" That's Sakura. She's staring right at me, shocked, and then her face turns red and she looks away.

Great. She's probably mad at me for ruining her fun. Sorry, Sakura, but I'm not gonna let that happen anymore.

Kankuro's little eyes so wide I can see the whites of his eyes from here. "How the hell did you sneak up on me? You're wearing _orange_!"

"Maybe I'm just that good. Or maybe the last thing you expect is a ninja to wear orange! Either way, I win and you lose!"

Temari is trying not to laugh. "You know, he's right, Kankuro."

"Shut up!" Suddenly, Kankuro reaches for the freaky thing behind his back.

"Wait, you can't be serious!" Temari shouts. "You're gonna use the crow for _this_?"

"I am not wearing an orange-clad little punk get the best of me!"

Suddenly, a new voice. Sounds young, my age, his voice starting to change too. "Kankuro, stop. Before you embarrass yourself any further."

Kankuro looks like the end of the world is happening. So does Temari, for that matter. "Oh . . . hi Gaara. Where've you been?"

Gaara? Where is he-

Holy crap _he's right behind me on the same tree_!

How did he do that? You'd have to be as good as Mom to pull that off!

"Put your weapon away. We are not here to fight them. Not yet."

Gaara jumps down and lands in-between his buddies and Sasuke and Sakura. He has freaky blue eyes and short red hair and has a weird marking on his forehead too. And he's _good_. Really good.

"Uh, yes, Gaara! I'm doing that." Kankuro quickly puts his "crow" back behind him. "Sorry, I was totally out of line and everything . . . yeah."

Temari also looks terrified. "Just . . . just don't get mad, okay? I had no part in this!"

"I _am_ mad. You could've stopped Kankuro and you didn't," Gaara snaps.

Temari looks away. "Y-Yes."

Gaara's eyes are like frozen in place. He glares at _everybody_ with the same cold stare. His mouth never changes expression either.

I guess Mom and Anko are right. You make a face for long enough, it does stay stuck that way. I didn't think it was possible.

His voice sounds like it's slithering. Very creepy. "I apologize for any trouble he may have caused. We'll be on our way. We are Chuunin Exam participants, we know there is no fighting until the Exam starts."

Sasuke looks really, really_ mad. _I've never seen him so angry. "Then do us a favor and back off. Judging from your protectors, you're all from the Hidden Sand Village, aren't you? Is this how you do things?"

Great, Sasuke's taking charge again. Well, I'll let him. I had my moment of coolness . . . and it doesn't feel right trying to make Sasuke look bad in front of the little kids either.

Gaara's eyes narrow, but Temari steps forward. "Gaara, I'll explain. Please."

"Then do it." Geez, does this guy always sound so irritated?

Temari bows towards Sasuke. "Our home is the Land of the Wind, and we are indeed from the Hidden Sand Village. My name is Temari, and Kankuro and Gaara are my brothers. We are here to participate in the Chuunin Exam, and we have our passports permitting us to enter your village for the purpose of taking the Exam."

"No last name?" Sasuke asks.

"The Hidden Sand Village does not make family names public," Temari says. "Not even on passports."

She holds up her passport. "If you wish to check it, feel free."

"It's fine. I'm looking forward to facing you three in the Exams," Sasuke replies.

"We'll see you there too," Temari says.

Gaara speaks up then. "Enough conversation, Temari."

"Yes, Gaara." I do not like how Gaara puts Temari on edge. Something's up with that guy and it's making me really nervous.

But they're all walking away. Crisis averted. Even Sakura has vanished somewhere. No more problems.

I give Sasuke a thumbs-up. This turned out pretty well. At least the little kids are looking at me in awe. I did good-

Why do I hear a cracking sound?

Oh crap, the tree branch-

Ow.

And why is there sand in my eyes too? Crap, it stings!

Gaara must've sabotaged the tree or something. Or I was too heavy for it or . . . I don't know!

I hear the little kids laughing. Great! Just great! I finally look cool and a stupid tree ruins it!

Argh . . . next time. Next time, this will go perfectly!

Believe it!

* * *

I have to take a shortcut around the edge of town now, close to some of the training fields. Anko showed me this shortcut once, it's where her favorite dumpling shop is located. It's a great way to get into the shopping district, particularly if you live where Mom and I do.

But as I turn the corner, I see Anko and that masked guy named Kakashi standing by the dumpling store. Anko's looking out towards the training fields, eating a stick of dumplings by the river separating the shop from the fields. Kakashi's holding a stick of dumplings too but it doesn't look like he's touched it.

Um . . . I should probably leave them alone.

I duck behind the side of a building just as I hear Anko say "You know, if I buy you food, you're kinda supposed to eat it, Kakashi."

"Just a little too hot for my taste, that's all," Kakashi says.

"You just don't want me to see what's under that mask," Anko says.

Something's up with Anko's tone of voice. She sounds a little different than usual.

Wait a minute. I know this tone of voice. She's_ flirting _with Kakashi? Really?

Or is she?

I . . . I don't know. Better stay still and like not breathe or something!

Kakashi sighs. "In all honesty, I am not hungry. I just got out of a meeting with the Hokage. What he had to say made my stomach turn."

"What'd he tell you?"

"It's on a need-to-know basis. You're not on the list yet," Kakashi replies.

"Crap," Anko grunts, and she looks down, staring at the water. "It has to be about the Chuunin Exams, right? That's the only thing I can think of."

She chuckles, it sounds sad and distant. "Now you're making me worried, Kakashi. I have three students I'm entering in this thing. The old man basically raked me over the coals when I told him I was entering my genin and he wouldn't tell me why. It's strange because when I came back from the Ame mission that went wrong, the old man said he was proud of me. Proud of who I had become."

She bites her lip. "Kakashi . . . if Naruto had not been caught by that shopkeeper I told you about . . . he and I never would have crossed paths. The old man told me he was sending a group of people out to stop me before I left Konoha to tell me I was going to go into training to become a tokubetsu jonin, or a specialist jonin. My life and Naruto's would have been incredibly different had Naruto not been caught by the shopkeeper furious over the vandalization of his clay pots. If Naruto was just a little faster or had a little more endurance . . . it never would've happened."

Anko's voice . . . it's cracking. She's crying. Anko . . .

This has to be incredibly personal stuff. She hasn't even told me this yet. Why would she tell Kakashi though? Why him?

"So when . . . when the old man praised me, when he said I had outperformed his expectations, that I had become a wonderful person and kunoichi, I felt like I had finally done something good in my life. But this morning he did everything but order me to not enter my genin. He didn't give any of the other jonin-sensei entering rookies this kind of trouble. Why single me out?"

"It's not personal," Kakashi says softly. "That's all I can tell you."

"Does he think I am a bad sensei?" Anko asks. "I know my team's gotten in trouble multiple times but . . . I mean, two C-ranks have turned into A-ranks on us due to deception. The Snow mission and the emergency Ame mission too. I did the best I could."

"I don't think so," Kakashi says. "You've been taking my advice for a lot of this. If he thinks you're a bad sensei I'm a bad sensei too. Good thing I wasn't assigned a team this time."

He's trying to cheer Anko up, but it doesn't look or sound like it's working.

I want to go out there and tell Anko she's not a bad sensei, but at the same time, I have this sense that I should stay out of this. That this isn't my thing to wade into.

They're both leaning on the fence, looking out past the river and at the practice fields. Anko speaks up. "Kakashi . . . dumb question. Can you say which of my genin is most likely to become chuunin from most to least likely?"

"Well . . . I haven't seen a ton from them, but from what I've seen and the mission reports . . . I would say Sasuke Uchiha is the most ready, followed by Hinata Hyuga and Naruto Uzumaki."

He thinks I'm the least likely? Really? I'm going to be Hokage! Of course I'm gonna pass this Exam! And of course, the top choice is pretty boy Sasuke! Always Sasuke! He's another Sasuke groupie, I swear.

"I see." I see Anko wiping her eyes, and she looks up into the sky. "My opinion is Naruto Uzumaki. Wanna know why?"

Wait, Anko thinks I'm gonna pass? This is awesome! Finally, someone who has confidence in me! Of course, it's Anko, my best friend, my soul sister, the person I can count on the most after Mom, but still. It's nice to know this. It's nice to know she thinks so much of me.

"Tell me," Kakashi says.

"I have lived a long time with Naruto, and I can see something in him," Anko says. "He may not have the best chakra control or the most ninjutsu and he doesn't even have a powerful bloodline trait. He doesn't need any of that. What he has is guts. I think he's going to find a way to gut through the Exam and become a Chuunin, no matter what it takes."

"You need more than guts," Kakashi says.

"You clearly have not seen Naruto enough," Anko says. "Sasuke and Hinata may have the technical stuff down, but Naruto has a heart. He'll carry both Sasuke and Hinata on his back if he had to and he'd find some way to pull it off. That's Naruto for you."

"Are you sure your personal relationship with Naruto isn't coloring what you're saying?" Kakashi asks.

Anko chuckles. "Naruto's my little brother, Kakashi. We're soul brother and sister, and I promised him we would be together forever. But-"

"You don't mean_ that_ kind of 'together forever', do you?" Kakashi asks in a goofy tone.

Anko looks like she's gonna blanch. "What kind of weird stuff goes through your head, Kakashi? Of course not! Who the hell do you think I am? We're brother and sister, damn it!"

"Just messing with you for a laugh, calm down," Kakashi says. He holds out his dumpling stick. "Dumplings?"

Anko seems to grumble something as she takes the stick and bites off two dumplings at once.

I wonder what that's about. Clearly it's some kind of a joke but I don't get it.

Anko swallows, and then says "I'm serious, Kakashi. Naruto's family to me. I would not be putting him into this Exam if I felt that he wouldn't pass. That's how much faith I have in him."

Anko, thank you. Thank you very much. I'm not gonna let you down. I'm going to pass this Exam and become a chuunin and make you proud. This is the longest we've ever been together without being separated by me being in the Academy and you being on a mission, and it's been worth it. It's worth seeing how strong you really are, and it's worth seeing how much you care about everybody.

You've been there for me for the last six and a half years. You are my sister, Anko. That's why I can't call you 'sensei'. To call you 'sensei' is to downgrade you from being my sister. You're far more than a teacher to me, and you always will be.

"Well, you know Naruto far better than I do," Kakashi says wistfully. "He would've been on my team if I were not reassigned."

"Maybe you can know him better, Kakashi," Anko says.

Wait, what's she-

She's hugging Kakashi.

"Thank you. Thank you for your advice. Thank you for teaching me those fire attacks and the Chidori. I've become much stronger and my students have become ready to attempt the exam. I owe you . . . I owe you a lot."

"You're forgetting something," Kakashi says.

"Huh?" Anko asks.

Even without seeing Kakashi's face I know he's smiling. "You forgot about the One Thousand Years of Death."

"Oh . . . oh yeah! Thank you for showing that one too. I think I told you that Naruto actually used that move in both the Land of Snow and the Ame missions. Successfully, I might add."

"My life's work is complete," Kakashi says. "The One Thousand Years of Death, in all of its glory, has been passed down to another generation."

Why does Kakashi speak of the attack like it's some sort of Kage-level move? It's just something that I've found effective in embarrassing ninja and sending them flying away a good distance.

Wait, why is Anko reaching for Kakashi's mask?

She's pulling it down. Crap, bad angle! I can't see who this guy looks like!

"Seriously . . . thank you."

Holy crap, is Anko actually-

Wow.

She just . . .

This pretty much happened out of nowhere! I mean, I know she's mentioned getting advice from this guy before, but, seriously, ya know?_ Seriously!_

I'm . . . I'm just gonna leave them some alone time. I'll let Anko kiss this Kakashi guy in peace. She's been trying to find a boyfriend for forever anyway. She's earned one.

I won't let you down, Anko. I'll let you know that before I begin the exam. I'm going to show you that you're the best sensei and big sister anyone could have ever wanted. Why? Because you helped me become Hokage.

Just watch. Just watch.

* * *

C'mon, Naruto. Focus. Focus like Mom wants you to.

Focus your chakra. Make the hand signs. Then draw!

Dog! Horse! Boar!

"Wind Style, Wind Slash Technique!"

Draw the kunai! Draw them both!

I feel the chakra rushing from my hand and latching onto the kunai before being propelled away in raw wind as I attack the strawman serving as my target.

The strawman splits in two and falls completely apart as both strikes cleave through it. The slashes continue across the river before dying, causing water to go flying into the air.

Mom's clapping her hands. "There we go! Great job, Naruto! That was perfect!"

She runs up to me. "No wasted chakra, no flaws in the motion. Of course, this was just standing still, but we can work on getting you to pull it off in motion later."

"The Exam's tomorrow, Mom. I need to pull it off today, in motion, whether I'm jumping, whatever," I answer.

Mom just smiles. "Naruto, you've been going at this for three hours now. It's time to rest before we continue the training. Keep in mind that you're going to need your energy for the Exam tomorrow too."

Crap, she's right. She's always right. Sasuke's mom is always right also, now that I think about it. I am sure all the other moms I know are always right too. Why do moms have to be right all the time? Is there some kind of secret chakra that activates when they give birth or something?

"All right. Taking a break it is, then." I follow Mom to the shade and we sit down under a tree.

This is when life is good. It's simple, and may seem nothing special to outsiders, but you know what? It's special in its own way when life is good. You can't just worry about stuff. Gotta take the time to enjoy things too, even if it's just lunch under a tree after three hours of training.

"You're making a lot of progress, Naruto. It took you four months after Anko found your chakra nature for you to get wind chakra down . . . and now you've managed to pull off your first Wind Style ninjutsu. Believe it or not, wind ninjutsu is the hardest to learn, especially for people who don't come from the Land of the Wind. You've done really well."

"I'm not good enough, not yet. I still gotta get stronger, Mom."

I have this weird sense I'm hurting Mom's feelings and I look at her. She seems lost in thought. Looks like I hurt her feelings to me, anyway.

"Mom, I'm talking about the big picture, not when it comes to the Wind Slash. Seriously, you've helped me big time! I've gotten so much better with the Chakra Chains and now I have this too! I'm gonna keep learning and I'm going to know so much stuff so when I'm a jonin like you are no one's gonna be able to beat me."

Mom smiles. "I know you will, Naruto."

"You're the best, Mom. I mean it. I never would've learned these attacks if it wasn't for you."

"Naruto, you didn't hurt my feelings, if that's what you're thinking. I know what you're talking about. You just reminded me of your father for a second."

"Huh?" All Mom talks about is how I'm similar to how she was when she was my age. How did I resemble Dad just now?

"Your father kept putting things on his back, Naruto. He put the whole village on his back, actually. He kept working on new attacks, new seals, because he had the same desire you have . . . he never felt he was perfect, he felt he always had room for improvement."

"Oh really?" I didn't know Dad was like that at all. From what Mom's told me, he seemed to be this calm, collected guy.

"Naruto, I don't want you to do the same things your father did. Remember, it's your own path that you're walking here. You may have the same destination as your father but you need to arrive there a different way."

There's something really, really hurting Mom here, and I don't know what it is. I'm not going to make her hurt worse, though. She's not going to blame me but I'm the one who brought this up to her in the first place.

"I know, Mom. That's what I'm gonna do."

She is really distant. Not like she was this morning. Did the old Hokage geezer say something to make her feel sick like what happened to Kakashi Hatake? That's the only thing that I can think of.

"Mom," I rub her shoulder. "I'm gonna be okay. Believe it. You're gonna be cheering me on in the final round for sure."

"Naruto . . . it's just really hard, as your mother . . ."

"Mom, I'm gonna be okay. Really, I'm gonna be-"

She suddenly reaches out and grabs me and pulls me in for a tight hug.

I'm not gonna complain about it being too tight this time. This is serious. Really serious. "Mom-"

"Naruto, please . . . please listen to me. I need you to promise me something."

"A-Anything for you, Mom! What is it?"

"Naruto . . ." She sniffs. "There's gonna be a lot h-happening . . . over the course of the next few weeks. Naruto . . . please promise me, that if you know you're pushing yourself too far . . . that you stop. I'm not saying you quit, just . . . just know when to back off."

She's scared. She's_ really _scared. This isn't just the way she is when I'm going off on a C-rank. This is beyond that. Way beyond. Makes me think there's something really bad going down in this Exam and she can't say a word about it to me.

"Mom, I will back off. I'm not gonna do something stupid, Mom. It's my first Exam. I can retake it again if I gotta. I know this, Mom. I promise."

"I love you, sweetie."

She is really scared to say something like that. It's making me nervous.

"It's all right, Mom. It's all right. It's all right."

Eventually, Mom calms down. Eventually, we begin training again. Eventually, she begins smiling and laughing again and it's like it never happened.

But I know it did. Because while Mom worries, she does_ not _get scared. I have seen her sad, I have seen her concerned, I have seen her angry, but I have not seen her _scared_. Not until now. It's not something I'm gonna forget, I'm sure. Because Mom just plain does_ not_ get scared.

Something is wrong, for her to be scared and to tell me this.

I don't know what it is, and I'm not sure I'm ever going to find out.

But no matter what gets in my way, I'm passing this Exam and I'll show Mom there's nothing to be afraid of, because I'm going to be a chuunin, and one step closer to becoming Hokage!

They're all gonna see it, and they're all gonna believe it!

Even Dad's gonna see it from where he is!

That's 'cause I'm Naruto Uzumaki!

And I'm ready.

And everybody better believe it.

THE REDEEMER FINIS

* * *

I was amazed when I finished this fic. I've never completed anything more substantial than a one-shot before. But I finished this fic.

A major shout-out goes towards all of the people on SpaceBattles who've beta-ed and offered constructive criticism of this fic before the formal postings here at FF. This story would not be as good as it is if it weren't for them.

The sequel goes up sometime next week. Until then.


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